3rd Person

"May the force be with you."

A small, simple phrase... but one that revealed a great deal about the many who spoke it.

"May the force be with you," as in...

"Let the force be on your side..."

So many had it in their heads that for every action they took, every small victory they earned...

The force decided all of it. Everything. Even the most inconsequential trivialities of life.

And if it wasn't the force, it was always something else...

Fate.

An endless, linear stream of time.

Everything deliberate, everything planned...

That was a comfort to some.

To others...

A chain.

Ahsoka

"And the refugees? Are they being cared for?" Master Shaak Ti inquired, the sun's rays glistening on her as she stood in the center of the high council chamber.

"From what we saw... yes." Anakin answered truthfully, albeit unenthusiastically. "But judging by the talk of the town, that won't last..."

The council chamber had already mostly emptied, yet Master Ti had requested that Anakin clarify a few things for her after the official report.

As usual, all of the formalities were doing a number on my master's temper.

"You must be proud of Zevon." Master Kenobi commented, making light conversation as Anakin outlined the general state of Alderaan's political turmoil.

"Mostly..." I admitted, conflicted. "But part of me is still worried... about what comes next."

"It may embolden him." Master Kenobi agreed, turning his gaze over to Anakin, standing in Master Ti's shadow. "Which could be good... or not so good."

"Yeah, I knew you'd get it." I laughed reservedly. "Anakin always called me reckless, but... between Zevon and I, it wasn't even close. I just wish I hadn't been so forceful with him."

"I understand... similarly to you, I've wondered if maybe I was too forceful with Anakin." Master Kenobi lamented, his gaze dropping. "But still... I was there. I watched over him, looked out for him... even when he didn't want me to."

Master Kenobi paused before continuing.

"I saved him countless times, mostly from himself; occasionally he returned the favor." he recalled.

Finally, he looked me right in the eyes, demanding my full attention.

"Don't wait for a thank you. You did what you could, whether you did it right or not... and now you have to let him fly on his own." he advised genuinely.

"Right..." I reluctantly concurred.

Just as our short chat wrapped up, Anakin and Master Ti concluded theirs.

"Snips, I'm gonna need you at the training grounds in about..." Anakin trailed off, squinting at his wrist to check the time. "An hour, and we have two guests... but I'm sure he already told you."

"Oh, you don't say?" I smirked, raising an eyebrow at Skyguy's brooding expression. "You might want to fix your face first... it'll scare off the young ones."

"You might want to brush up on your standard grip." Anakin sneered, pointing at my lightsaber. "Wouldn't want to embarass yourself."

I racked my brain for a clever retort, but Anakin had already stormed out of the tower by the time I came up with one.

My other superiors also bid me farewell, and suddenly I was alone in the tower.

'Should I make a quick stop at the cafeteria...?' I pondered, staring at the polished chamber floor. 'No, I shouldn't eat before training.'

As my eyes absorbed every detail of the circular paintings illustrated on the floor, I pinpointed several areas of wear and tear.

The once-spotless mural was cracked in several places, tainted by grimy spots... all disrupting the intended harmony of the patterns.

I suppose... the order was simply far too busy to clean the temple to the council's usual standards.

I descended the tower steps, and soon I was wandering aimlessly around the temple corridors... the chamber's imperfections still lingering in my mind.

It wasn't just the council... I sensed a deep anxiety eminating from the mass of templegoers drifting through the Great Hall.

When I was younger, I would usually be bombarded by the perky chatter of padawans, their masters imploring them to be quieter.

At some point, it seemed that the vastness of the temple became too much for anyone to bear... much like the war.

The council was too busy, which led me to a revelation.

Without the clone war... Zevon would have been cast off before he even turned ten.

I guess... in some twisted way, the clone war saved him.

Well, not him... it saved his dream.

As I carried on my aimless odyssey, I found myself entering the meditation gardens.

Humid, lush foliage... blooming trees on the cusp of bearing fruit...

Bugs with ashen, papery wings that melted into smooth slate...

A winding, shallow stream...

I didn't know why the force chose to give me so much, and Zevon so little...

And yet, that's what happened. That's the reality that was forced onto each of us. Was it all intentional?

...Maybe the force wanted to motivate Zevon through hardship. That would've made sense, considering recent events.

But if that was the case, what was the plan for me?

As I contemplated my place in the galaxy, I stumbled upon a pond.

It was almost indistinguishable from glass. Perfectly clear, perfectly serene.

The echo of my unsteady faith stared back at me, frowning.

For as hard as the council toiled, working tirelessly to find an end to the fighting, I sometimes wondered if they couldn't do more.

Species annihilated, the survivors left without homes.

Cities occupied, the inhabitants turned into glorified prisoners.

Planets exploited, squeezed dry of their resources.

Unrest.

A senate that had long since failed its people.

It all weighed especially heavily on my master, because that's just who he was.

He had to take on everyone's burden.

Sometimes... I wondered if he was rubbing off on me.

There was only one chosen one... and it certainly wasn't me.

But my power was true, and regardless of why I received it...

I would use it.

Zevon

Hidden away in a corner of the Jedi archives, I stared at a holobook.

A ghostly blue glow hung over me as I stared at the front cover.

Vaapad

Authored by the champion of harsh words himself, Mace Windu.

The title exuded pure simplicity.

No extraneous elements, no clunky wording...

Just focus.

Vaapad.

A variant of form VII, the...

"So... rumor is you want to learn The Ferocity Form." a voice proclaimed without warning.

I dropped the holobook in a panic, juggling it several times before regaining control.

My head jerked up, and I identified the stranger...

And breathed a sigh of relief.

Anakin Skywalker.

"You got my message." I grinned. "And yes... I do."

"Sorry sport, but I can't get you the holocron. It's in the vault." Anakin shrugged.

"Oh... figures." I groaned, disappointed.

"Windu loves to keep tabs on that thing." Anakin complained, rolling his eyes. "You'd need a council member to get your hands on it. Y'know, you could just ask your master."

"Not really an option." I stated, shaking my head. "She's not very enthusiastic about it, but I have to learn it."

"Well, in that case..." Anakin trailed off, rubbing his chin. "I could ask Obi-wan to snag it for me... i'll have to call in some major favors for that."

"Please do..." I begged. "I'd really appreciate it."

"Fine, Zevon." he stated, nodding his head with a determined look in his eye. "I'll get it for you. Until then, study that book... and I can always give you pointers."

"Thanks, Anakin." I stressed with immense gratitude.

He flashed a grin, but then it abruptly faded.

"...But you shouldn't hide things from your master." he cautioned.

"Isn't that sort of rich, coming from you?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow. It was pretty common knowledge that Anakin had been a difficult padawan.

"Yeah, exactly." he responded, squinting. "It might not turn out well."

"Well, I'll think about it then." I assured him, considering the possibility. "And for the record, I never saw you here."

"Of course not." he smirked.

Ahsoka

I met my master at the training grounds as planned, and who followed soon after? Who else but Master Gallia and Zevon...

A joint training session, geared toward form V.

"Djem So condenses the unchecked savagery of form IV and harnesses it... making it more deliberate, calculated... focused. Compared to Ataru, Djem So is far colder." Master Gallia lectured. "Unfortunately, it's very effective at bringing out the user's malice... and as a result, there are those who question the legitimacy of the form."

"I'd say you can just look at it as a melding of forms IV and III." Anakin added, cocking his head. "Strong offense, strong defense."

Master Gallia nodded slowly in agreement.

"And Shien?" I asked, piping up.

"Shien is simply a less-favored variant of form V." Master Gallia clarified, looking to me. "Seeing as it employs reverse grip, I can imagine you're quite fond of it."

"If it's about offense and defense, what determines when I shift between the two?" Zevon questioned, hanging on to every word.

"That's a good question." Master Gallia stated, applauding her pupil. "I think Skywalker can answer it for you."

"It's a constant balancing of deflection and retaliation. You need to properly guard your opponent's blows, while also seeing through their next attack... to counter it." Anakin elucidated. "You never want to be on the defense for too long, or to use too much energy in a single attack."

"Pssshhhew!"

"With that said, let's begin with stances." Master Gallia motioned, a sapphire blade extending from that shiny, silver hilt of hers.

As the Jedi Master shifted her feet around, showcasing a multitude of the different stances form V utilized, I saw my master raise his eyebrow from the sideline.

"You need to bring in your arms a bit." Anakin advised, approaching Master Gallia. "They're just a bit too extended, so you'll have less power guarding."

The council member stood speechless as Anakin mimicked her for a second, showing clearly what she was doing wrong.

"Ah... yes, you're right." Master Gallia finally muttered as Anakin withdrew. "Thank you, Skywalker."

After Master Gallia's brief demonstration, each master-apprentice pair broke off into their own groups and continued to study the theory behind Djem So and Shien.

"By the way..." Anakin grinned, turning to Master Gallia. "When are we having that rematch? Now seems like as good a time as ever..."

"Hm..." she contemplated, her eyes darting away from my master. "Enticing indeed, but I'm afraid I'm still recovering from the last battle."

After Master Gallia turned back to Zevon, my master rolled his eyes playfully.

"I'm starting to question your word." Anakin joked, intending for her to hear.

"I never agreed to anything." Master Gallia rebutted. "But regardless, have patience. There will be time."

"Sure there will be." Anakin whispered to me, unleashing a spinning slash just for the thrill of it.

"Don't let Skywalker fool you, it's not supposed to be fun." Master Gallia snorted to her padawan as she adjusted his technique.

"I have a first name, you know... it's Anakin, not Skywalker." Anakin joked from afar, his tone coated with a hint of resentment.

"Noted. Though, I expected you'd prefer Skywalker." Master Gallia acknowledged, glacing back to us. "It's quite the name."

"She does have a point..." I smirked, but after meeting Anakin's eyes I could tell he was not amused.

"Enough of this." Anakin barked, annoyed. "They should be sparring, not waltzing around."

"The theory is still important." Master Gallia insisted, frowning.

"And it's easier to understand the theory once you have experience." Anakin defended, refusing to budge.

"...I suppose." Master Gallia conceded. "You've always been more of a hands-on teacher, haven't you?"

"From my view, it's the only way to learn." Anakin agreed, nodding.

"Not from mine." Master Gallia pushed back slightly. "But I do think Zevon would benefit from your methods, that I'll confess."

"Alright then." Anakin remarked, turning to Zevon and I. "Since Master Gallia's feeling a bit under the weather, why don't you two take me on?"

"At the same time...?" Zevon inquired.

"Pssshhew!"

"Precisely." my master clarified, igniting his sapphire blade.

"nnnnNNNNNnnnnnnNNNN!"

As he took his stance, Anakin twirled his saber with one of his signature, elegant flourishes... as if the blade were a performer's baton.

"Show me your best..." he urged, smiling proudly. "As lacking as it will ultimately be."

"Pssshhew!" "Pssshhew!" "Psshew!"

"Yeah, yeah... okay Skyguy." I scoffed, rolling my eyes as Zevon and I activated our weapons in kind.

"What's the plan? Are we improvising?" Zevon questioned, glancing over to me.

"Seems like it." I shot back.

"Oh, and only use form V." Anakin chortled, pointing his saber at Zevon for some odd reason. "Nothing else."

"So we're going to lose." I muttered under my the humming of my twin sabers.

"We were already going to." Zevon whispered indifferently, his heavy hilt scraping against his alloy gloves.

"Have a little optimism!" I murmured frantically.

"Three... two..." Master Gallia finally announced, putting the three of us on edge. "One, and... go."

"Tap! Tap! Tap!" "Tap! Tap! Tap!" "Tap! Tap! Tap!"

Footsteps thundered together as we charged my master, Zevon engaging him on the ground.

I took to the air, uniting my green sabers into one flying assault.

Lightsaber Form V, Djem So: Twinbolt Coalescence

"KSSSHHHHH!" "Crash!"

Anakin easily guarded, diverting me off course as he kicked Zevon at the same time.

As I landed a ways away from the melee, Zevon rushed my master with a flurry of slashes.

"Kssshh!" "Kssshhh!" "Kssshhhh!" "Kssshhhhh!"

"Too aggressive, Zevon." Anakin berated, slipping through Zevon's guard effortlessly. "Even with your endurance, you should conserve your energy!"

"Bam!" "Aghh!"

Countering, my master drove his mechanical fist into Zevon's stomach, sending him reeling back...

But Skyguy was distracted now... and his back was unguarded.

"Tap! Tap! Tap!"

"nnnnnnnnNNNNNNNNN!"

I honed in...

Lightsaber Form V, Shien: Twin Fangs

"KSSSSHHH!" "KSSSSHHHH!"

At the last second, he spun around, comfortably intercepting my technique as our blades locked together.

"Really, Ahsoka...?" Anakin scoffed, smirking. "I know I taught you better."

"Maybe even better than you thought!" I yelled, pulling my shorter saber out of the fray...

"nnnnnnnNNNNN!"

And slicing toward Anakin's shoulder...

Only for him to seize my wrist with his metal hand.

With a strong push, he shoved me out of our saber struggle, and I was next to Zevon yet again.

We briefing exchanged glances, reading each other's expressions to determine our next course of action.

'We're so finished.'

'I know.'

'You go right, I go left?'

'Sure? Let's just make sure we synchronize.'

"Tap! Tap!" "Tap! Tap!" "Tap! Tap!"

"Kssshh!" "Kssshhh!" "Ksssshh!" "Kssshhh!" "Ksshhh!"

Another joint assault, and my master's ironclad guard remained unbroken. Of course, he had been trained by the best of the best in that regard.

"Kssshhh!" "Ksssh!" "Ksh!" "Ksssh!"

As we hopelessly threw everything we had at him, Anakin grinned.

I'm sure it was as natural as breathing for him.

Eventually, Zevon and I unleashed our last ditch effort., flipping above Anakin and swapping positions, each of us diving toward the monster that was my master.

One thing was certain. Regardless of the outcome, the duel was about to reach a decisive end.

Anakin

"nnnnnnNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!" "nnnNNNNNN!" "nNNNNNNNNNN!"

As their lightsabers screamed toward me, I crouched slightly, swiveling my torso.

Skyscraper... of form III, it had always been my master's favorite art by a wide margin.

A technique that perfectly replicated the swaying motion a towering structure underwent during a windstorm.

One of the premier defense techniques of The Resilience Form.

In fact, Obi-wan loved to use that art so much that it drove me completely insane in my younger days.

So what did I do?

I learned how to counter it, and conceived a technique of my own.

A slash of ordered chaos, one that broke through any and all defenses...

One that could even rend the heavens.

Lightsaber Form V, Djem So: Skypiercer

"KSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Blue briefly clashed with Green and Indigo, and the latter was swiftly overpowered, making it my victory.

We took a few moments to catch our breath, and then Zevon approached me.

"Let's go again." he demanded.

Zevon

Eventually, after Ahsoka and I brutally lost to Anakin several more times, we wrapped up the training.

It it were the old me, the defeats might have soured my mood.

Now... they only excited me. Even from that one training session, I'd learned so much...

After Ahsoka and Anakin took their leave, my master stayed rooted where she was... staring at the Great Tree as it parted with the last of its leaves.

"What's wrong, Master?" I inquired, identifying turmoil within the oceans in her eyes.

She hesitated for a moment, her shoulders slumping.

"Skywalker... er, Anakin." she stated glumly. "In mere months, Anakin has more than doubled his proficiency in Djem So."

"Yeah, so?" I scoffed, unfazed. "He's still nowhere near your level."

The oceans sparkled for a second.

"Heh."

She released a halfhearted chuckle, and looked to the sky.

"Heh... what?" I pressed.

"You're right, in a sense." Master Gallia answered. "...He's far beyond me now."

"Oh..." I remarked, caught off guard. "I... guess that's the chosen one for you..."

"A long time ago..." my master trailed off, fixated on the clouds. "I wanted to be the chosen one. It's not exactly uncommon for a youth."

"Huh... never crossed my mind." I admitted, my feelings evident. "Wonder why."

"Yes, well... I don't think I wanted it for the power, although that part was appealing..." she confessed, opening up. "I think I just wanted... direction."

"A destination." I declared, echoing some of her previous advice. "I can understand that."

"Yes, it was..." she agreed, smiling slightly. "Then it was mastering all seven forms, then it was sitting on the council..."

"And now...?" I questioned.

"It's..." she began, freezing up shortly thereafter. "It's not important. I'll figure it out."

Ahsoka

When the session concluded, Anakin and I exited the training grounds first.

Once we were out of earshot, my master snapped.

"I just... I can't STAND it!" Anakin spat, blowing a fuse. "That Master Gallia..."

"The fun comment?" I pried, and he confirmed with a furious snort.

"I never asked to go to war. I never asked to be knighted early, or to become a general." he ranted further. "They made those decisions... the council."

He clenched his iron fist.

"Fun? They think I'm having fun?!" he continued. "I'm just trying to get through the day, I'm making it up as I go..."

He bit his lip.

"If the council thinks I'm not ready, then I don't understand why I'm always the one sent to do their dirty work." he continued, slightly depressed.

Finally, he looked me in the eyes, desperately.

"Knowing that every single action you take, every grin, every random thought you voice... that everything's going to be so scrutinized..." he ranted furiously, biting his lip. "...It's suffocating, Ahsoka. It's suffocating.

"I'm sorry, Anakin..." I apologized, sympathetic, but not truly knowing what to say.

Zevon

Master Gallia and I met each other at Durasteel Strength for our usual workout routine, after which she had council business to attend to. Typical...

Next, I was supposed to meet Ahsoka - who had apparently procured another free trip to Hesperidium - back at the temple.

But when I joined her at the temple steps, she was waiting with two others.

Rex... and Burst.

"You two." Burst declared, sounding determined... albeit desperate. "I need your help with something."

"Can it wait?" I asked, squinting.

"No." Burst asserted seriously. "I need credits. Now."

"Sounds a bit suspicious..." I stated. "Did you get involved with the Pykes or something?"

"Rex...?" Ahsoka inquired, but the 501st veteran shrugged his shoulders.

"We're..." Burst trailed off, gulping. "We're going to the casino."

"WHAT?!" Ahsoka and I yelled in unison.

"I told you I needed credits, didn't I?" Burst chuckled nervously.

After another long hovertrain ride, and another descent into the underworld, I arrived at our destination with my companions.

The Nine Hyperspace Lanes Casino.

"I... probably shouldn't be bringing kids to the casino..." Burst muttered to himself. "Oh, whatever. You both outrank me anyway."

"This is a terrible idea.." Ahsoka muttered to herself.

Sure enough, we were stopped at the front entrance by security, a duo of burly trandoshans.

"No kidsss allowed." one of the two growled, eyeing our clone friends with malice.

"Hey! Look here..." I demanded, revealing my lightsaber beneath my robes. "Jedi business."

Needless to say, security didn't bother us again.

The casino atmosphere was more sprightly than I'd expected.

Rainbow-colored holotables everywhere, capable of running every casino game imaginable.

Cheery, childlike art littered the walls and floors, a strange contrast to the undoubtedly mature activities the establishment hosted.

The casino was a space where the stench of death sticks was fresh, and the air freshener was foul.

It was a confusing inversion of reality.

Despite the pretty colors, anyone could see the evil hidden beyond the veil.

Burst led the way, with the rest of us acting as discreet as possible.

...Ultimately, his destination of choice was the bar, where Burst took advantage of the casino's complementary drinks...

"So... I need the three of you to help me turn a hundred credits..." Burst started, showing off his cash. "Into five-thousand."

"We're not doing slots, are we?!" Ahsoka gasped. "And you still haven't told us why."

"No, that would be too irresponsible..." Burst admitted, pointing over to the tables. "We're just going to be a little irresponsible. There's going to be a tzi tzu tournament soon... I trust you all know the rules?"

We all nodded.

The next thirty minutes were a slog, mainly consisting of listening to Burst's ramblings as he ordered more drinks.

"Nothing will ever hurt more than the Son's force lightning though." I declared, deep in conversation.

"You're saying he shot lightning out of his hands??" Burst guffawed in disbelief. "I don't know, kid... sounds like a jawa giving out free samples to me."

"It's true." I responded, serious.

"You really think us clones will believe anything, huh? I get it, you Jedi are impressive... but that's too crazy." Burst chuckled, denying my story. "Jedi, Sith... yeah sure whatever, but throw you into a metal presser, and it won't know the difference."

"You know Skyguy, er... General Skywalker, right?" Ahsoka blurted out. "Ask him about people shooting lightning from their hands, he'll tell you all about it."

"Hm, fine then, kid." Burst grumbled, taking another sip of his drink. "But I'm not an idiot. I know the general would love pulling my leg just as much as any of you."

"Thud!"

The bar shook as a colossal customer plopped down in the seat next to Burst...

A cathar - a large feline species - dressed in a striking blue dress coat, complete with a white tie.

This particular individual was a very large male, his head draped in a bushy mane.

"That's a nice suit...!" I muttered quietly, admiring the cathar's classy blue and white attire.

"He's the one to watch out for..." Burst whispered, the rest of us listening intently. "Leodan... they call him The Trick Master, he's won the past thirty seven times..."

"The one to watch out for indeed..." Leodan hummed menacingly, causing Burst to spill a bit of his drink.

...

Before I knew it, it was the semifinals of the tournament.

A tipsy Burst and I...

Versus...

Leodan and his partner.

Despite Burst's slight impairment, we'd managed to make it this far.

When Leodan dished out the first deal of the game, my heart sank.

Nothing but useless cards. Bad luck... simply a routine for me at this point.

One to zero.

Another round went by, and I received another batch of dreadful cards.

Two to zero.

Soon it was six to zero.

Then seven to zero.

We finally scraped out a point, but then the tides of victory surged against us once more.

Eight to one.

Nine to one...

Eventually... defeat.

Crushing defeat.

The posh beast leered at us, flashing his fangs at our pitiful performance.

I could barely contain the fury raging beneath my cloak.

But, fortunately for us...

Ahsoka and Rex were still in it.

When the house gave the word, the finalists converged at the table in the center of the room.

Leodan and his associate, the reigning champions...

Ahsoka and Rex, the challengers...

Flashing neon lights danced across Ahsoka's orange skin as she peered up at the beast in his blue suit.

Leodan straightened his cerulean collar, growling hungrily as he leered down at Ahsoka.

Rex instinctively positioned himself in front of his commander - assuming a protective stance - but the gigantic, maned beast dwarfed even the burly captain.

"I've beaten so many like you, child. The smirk... the unearned confidence that bleeds from the mouth." the seasoned player warned the young togruta. "Unlike most of your life, your bodyguard can't coddle you to victory here."

"I understand why you'd think that, but your picture of me is way off base." Ahsoka laughed, unfazed. "Your overconfidence in your own hasty judgements will be your downfall."

"Then prove it to me." Leodan requested, snarling through a toothy smile as he took a seat.

Leodan won the first deal - unsurprisingly - yet earned a raised eyebrow from Ahsoka.

After selecting coins as the tzi tzu, Leodan calmly clobbered his opponents for four rounds. He swept the table with high-value cards such as the commander and ace, until Rex ended his streak in the fifth and final round with the mistress of coins.

Regardless, the champion earned his team a point, putting them in the lead.

The following games further painted a grim picture for Ahsoka and Rex. Despite eeking out a single point, they fell behind by three points.

Four to one, Leodan and his associate leading.

First to ten.

Eventually, the deal fell on Ahsoka.

Beads of sweat formed at her brow, her vision stuck in a sustained, focused glare.

The tension etched into her face was palpable, so much so that I could almost read her mind from the strong emotions she emitted.

'I can't lose... I can't lose... I can't lose... I can't lose... I can't lose... I can't lose...' she repeated furiously. 'I CAN'T LOSE...!'

She shuffled... and promptly entered the first round with a bang, slamming the commanders of flasks and sabers flat on the table with rigid determination.

Soon, she'd seized three rounds, winning the game for her and Rex.

Then, Rex won one of his own.

The next game, Ahsoka took four rounds.

To the shock of every onlooker, the Trick Master himself had been put on the back foot.

Leodan's teeth shuddered, scraping together as the champion gaped at his useless hand, dumbfounded.

Five to four, Ahsoka and Rex leading.

'She just can't help but win the luck of the draw, every single time...' I grinned to myself, unsurprised by Ahsoka's stellar performance.

"Come on..." Burst muttered to himself. "Come on...!"

When the deal next fell on Leodan, the tide turned once more. Solid hands with multiple tzi tzu cards secured an overwhelming victory for the two experienced players. Winning five out of five rounds, Leodan's team won two points.

Six to five, Leodan and his goon back in the lead.

Another game passed...

Seven to five...

Then eight to five...

Then eight to six...

Then nine to six...

Match point, Ahsoka's deal.

Teetering on the edge of a cliff, one mistake away from sudden defeat, Ahsoka gritted her teeth.

After a quick glance at her hand, she smirked.

"I'm going solo." she declared, sending the spectators into an excited frenzy.

As Rex placed his hand face down on the table, Ahsoka led with the commander of staves...

Drawing out Leodan's commander of coins.

With the second highest-value card gone from the equation, Ahsoka took the second round with the ace of staves.

The next two rounds were smooth sailing, but then it all came down to the final round.

If she won, Ahsoka would receive four points, winning the entire match. If she didn't, she'd only receive one, a meager advancement.

Ahsoka led with the mistress of sabers, a mid-value card of an off-suit. Not the strongest card to lead with.

Leodan's associate threw down a commander of flasks, useless in the current situation.

The only card left to be revealed was Leodan's...

"Rrrrghh!" the beast roared, flinging his commander of sabers into the air in frustration.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA?!"

Yells exploded all around the room.

Ahsoka and Rex had won.

As the victors were presented with their winnings, Burst and I pushed our way through the crowd of drunken spectators.

"I can't believe you won against him..." I exclaimed, finally reaching Ahsoka. "I guess you really are just that lucky."

"It wasn't luck." Ahsoka whispered, fidgeting with her fingers. "I.. cheated."

"You... you what!?" I sputtered, stunned.

"Because he cheated, Zevon. That's why he beat you so easily. He manipulated the deck so that you'd receive the bad cards." she asserted, glaring. "So when it was my deal, I made sure that the good cards fell into my hand."

I was speechless.

It made so much sense.

When I was dealt a bad hand, it was easy for me to accept.

Because I'd always expected as much.

Ahsoka

After our fortunate victory, Burst hurried us to the Coruscant Grand Medical Facility, where we encountered someone unexpected on one of the landing platforms.

"Master...?" I uttered, bewildered, spotting a well-dressed woman next to him. "And Senator Amidala...?"

"Ahsoka..." Anakin acknowledged as Burst handed him our winnings. "And Rex and Zevon, good. Barriss is on her way as well. Obi-wan and Master Gallia are apparently too busy to make it."

"Ani... er, General Skywalker... you didn't have to go to all this trouble." Padme muttered, shaking her head. "You know I can afford it."

"And you know why you can't pay for all my things." Anakin stated firmly, shooting her down. "Plus, come on... it looks to me like they had fun!"

"Hold on, hold on." Zevon spoke up, throwing his hands in the air. "What's even going on here?!"

"Exactly what I'm wondering." I affirmed, crossing my arms as I frowned between Anakin and Burst.

"VRRRRRMMMMMMM!"

The roaring of sublight engines grabbed my attention.

Above us, an Eta-class shuttle initiated its descent to the landing pad.

"There." Anakin declared ambiguously. "You're about to get your answer."

When the sole passenger stepped down the landing ramp, she did so not with legs, but with wooden wheels.

Her bright green, scaly skin stood out from Coruscant's industrial colors.

A brief glance at her deadly, serated fangs might have inspired fear for some, but I saw the subtle nervousness in the way her teeth chattered.

Athina... that little girl from Irisella.

'Oh...' I exclaimed internally, having a realization. 'That's why...'

She beamed when she saw us, wheeling over with an excited burst of energy.

"Mister Jedi!" she exclaimed, sighting Anakin. "Lots of Jedi! ...But, why did you bring me here?"

"The doctor's going to give you legs again." Burst stated bluntly.

"I don't want to be part-droid..." she hissed nervously.

"Hey! Come on, it's not that bad..." Anakin protested, showing off his cybernetic arm. "And look, you're hurting R2's feelings."

"Beep boop beep." R2 chimed in, admittedly sounding unbothered.

Barriss arrived right as the doctor wheeled Athina into the operating room.

The operation was swift and smooth, and soon the doctor wheeled Athina back out to where we waited.

The little girl stood up slowly, her knees shaking from disbelief.

"Tap..."

A step.

"Tap..."

Another step...

Suddenly, she stumbled...!

And then soon regained her footing.

In a matter of minutes, she was racing around the landing pad, pure bliss emanating from her strides.

The joy in her eyes as she jumped around could've brightened any abyss.

"Okay..." she huffed, returning to us after she had her fun. "Now for the gifts!"

Within the shuttle she'd arrived in, Athina brought a plethora of art projects she'd worked on since we last saw her.

To Zevon...

A portrait of Zevon, Burst, and Master Gallia all standing together.

To me...

A painting of Zevon and I, soaring above the smoldering factory as Atsuminagi rampaged through it.

To Barriss...

A bright, detailed portrait of Barriss and her master, a sparkling rainbow behind them.

"Thank you..." Athina mumbled, hugging Barriss tightly. "I'm... I'm sorry about your master..."

"Don't thank me." Barriss muttered, tearing up. "The Republic did this to you... and I did nothing to stop it."

"Barriss...!" Anakin barked. "A little too heavy for the kid, don't you think?"

After a few more personal paintings, Athina unveiled the largest piece of all... a massive mural depicting a stunning ocean sunset beyond the Umidori village.

"Me, my brother Levi, Mister Ryoshi..." Athina named, pointing everyone out. "Obi-wan, Barriss, Luminara... Zevon, Ahsoka, Burst, Rex... Anakin... and Adi."

The background was tinted a warm, sentimental orange, the horizon ablaze as the sky and ocean dueled over the sunset.

Zevon

After we saw Athina off, I traveled back to the temple, intent on stowing a few things in my quarters before some downtime with Ahsoka.

Even as I rummaged through my disorganized drawers, my memories of Irisella haunted me.

Memories I'd forgotten, until now... when they were uncerimoniously thrown in my face.

My task finished, I stepped out into the hall. However, as I moved to close the door to my quarters, my body suddenly froze.

Force Stasis.

I struggled against the invisible chains, desperately trying to apply Master Yoda's teachings...

My whill...

Let the force flow...

My finger twitched...

And yet, the chains were too strong.

"Acceptable progress." my master's voice proclaimed.

"No need to ambush me...!" I complained, rolling my shoulder after she released her hold. "Super unnecessary."

"Burst told me about your charitable act. How commendable, I'm proud of you." she brought up, ignoring me. "However, aren't you forgetting something?"

"What...?" I asked, perplexed.

"My starfighter. Did you really think you'd get off that easily?" she smiled diabolically. "The master of funds sees my vessel as more of a... personal project, and thus refuses to pay for the repairs."

"Well, uh... that's not good, huh?" I chuckled, rubbing the back of my head.

"As the sole destroyer of my ship, you'll be paying for it." she grumbled, patting down her cloak.

"Do I look like I have that kind of money?" I laughed in her face.

"Well, if you can't pay, a life debt might suffice." she warned ominously. "And fortunately, I've moved my starfighter to a private hangar, where it will be safe from your unkempt hands."

"You know that won't stop me." I jeered after her as she made her exit. "Joy ride number two, it's only a matter of time."

"If you do need to fly, hop in one of those dreadful Actis-class fighters." she yelled behind her, disappearing around the corner shortly after.

"Sorry Master..." I grinned to myself. "To be honest, I don't plan on paying that... ever, really."

The silly exchange brightened my mood, but by the time I boarded the shuttle with Ahsoka...

Irisella was back on my mind.

Hesperidium, dusk.

Gray clouds singed with red twilight.

Warm, soothing wind that swept across vibrant fields of flowers.

Calm, clear creeks that entwined together, irrigating the land.

A mossy cave that burrowed into the hills... with thick, burly vines hiding the entrance.

Timeworn ruins of ivory marble... small, scaly bridges that hopped over the streams...

A white wall that shielded me from the wind.

Ahsoka beside me.

"I'm just saying..." I continued, chuckling. "How many separatist commanders have you captured?"

"Don't be getting too big for your robes now, buster." Ahsoka joked. "Ah, what am I saying? You've earned it. There's even talk of a parade..."

'A fluke, and nothing more.' the Son hissed in my ear. 'Soon, the coming darkness will consume the galaxy, along with everything you love... including her.'

"Oh, great." I exclaimed out loud, realizing how it sounded afterward. "Sorry, Ahsoka. That wasn't..."

Naturally, I expected her to be confused at my sudden comment, so I didn't want her to think it was directed at her. However, the last words I expected to come out of her mouth were...

"You've got one too?!" she exclaimed, staring directly at the Son's batlike form hovering over my shoulder.

"Wha- you can see him?" I demanded, shocked. "And what do you mean too?!"

To answer, Ahsoka folded her legs and closed her eyes, reaching out through the force.

Until...

"Caww!"

A bird's cry...

And then a white-green convor fluttered down onto Ahsoka's head.

"I got the Daughter..." Ahsoka trailed off, exchanging glances with her green-eyed guide.

"And I got the Son." I finished, thoroughly jealous.

"She doesn't talk, though, just shows me places sometimes." Ahsoka confessed, staring at my phantom companion with a hint of envy. "No helpful advice or anything..."

"Trust me, it's better that way." I sighed.

"The Daughter has a name." Ahsoka informed as her feathered friend flew in circles around her head. "It's Morai."

"Huh." I muttered, turning to the Son. "Then what's yours... Hellspawn? Probably something like that..."

'You wish to know my true name?' he scoffed.'I am the end.... and nothing more.'

As I opened my mouth to insult the Son further, an immense shadow spread over the field of the flowers around us.

Fearing it was related to the embodiment of darkness, I glanced skyward...

Just a Star Destroyer...

It wasn't long before the colossal ship blotted out the scarlet sunset.

"Ugh..." I grumbled, repulsed.

"Novelty starting to wear off?" Ahsoka pried, smirking as she leaned her cheek against her palm.

"You could say that." I confirmed. "I never want to see one again. Not that... or any other machine of war, really."

"But you've always been so eager to join the war!" Ahsoka joked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, well... doesn't mean I like it." I trailed off. "What else was I supposed to do?"

"I guess..." Ahsoka agreed, dropping the humor. "Either way, I understand. I also want everything to be over."

"If I could just erase every single tank, every gunship, every starfighter..." I spat, glaring at the Venator in the sky. "I would."

"You'd get along with Duchess Satine." Ahsoka remarked, referencing the ruler of Mandalore. "But I can't say I agree..."

"No?" I questioned, giving her a side eye. "You saw Athina... you saw how well the Umidori were taken care of."

"That's separate." Ahsoka grimaced. "Of course Irisella was horrible."

"Is it? Part of me thinks that's just what happens during war." I pushed. "The powerless... forced to make weapons that destroy the powerless."

"Maybe, but you're overlooking something." Ahsoka insisted. "If you completely disarm - like Satine - you make yourself vulnerable to outside threats."

"And if you cling to power, who's to say you aren't the real threat?" I challenged.

"Me?" Ahsoka grinned, winking. "Sure, it's something to be careful about. But if it were me, I'd be confident as long as I was leading with people I trust."

"Oh, I get it." I rolled my eyes. "So as long as you have the weapons, everyone's safe. Well... I guess I'd trust you more than the senate, to be fair."

"I'd have all the tanks, gunships, fighters... everything." Ahsoka nodded. "Then we'd have peace."

As she finished, the Venator finally finished its pass, uncovering something visible through the clouds...

The fabled crimson moon... glowing radiantly through the clouds.

"I think it's going to rain soon..." I stated, standing up.

"You sure you don't want to stay?" Ahsoka wisecracked slyly.

"I- no!" I blushed, knowing the implication.

"Ha! I know." she snickered, getting up.

After the shuttle touched down to Coruscant, we started the trek back to the temple, during which I was yet again faced with grim reality.

War propaganda plastered over every corner, some of which had been scavenged and converted into makeshift shelter for the legions of nomads that lived off the streets.

Unfairness everywhere, even on the surface.

And not simply innate, natural unfariness...

Manufactured unfainess.

...

The Umidori had hardly crossed my mind until today.

When we left Irisella, that was that. Business concluded.

Grievous escaped... and I should've captured him. That was my main takeaway from the whole ordeal...

Anakin and Ahsoka were different. When they bore witness to suffering, oppression... it pained them to leave things in such a state.

They each possessed a burning desire to create change, but as much as I hated to admit it, I wasn't the same.

It's not that I didn't care... when I saw the plight of the Umidori back then, I did feel something. But on my list of priorities...

My performance, my showing, my own achievement... those were what lingered in my mind.

"Hehe..." I chuckled regretfully, earning a confused glance from Ahsoka.

We passed through a rundown, shabby-looking district, and the pitter patter of rain swelled.

As droplets splattered against ruined shingles, they coalesced into tiny streams that trickled through cracks in the roofing.

Athina...

Link...

Slipstream...

So many were dealt a bad hand.

My low force affinity was only a single card I possessed out of many, yet it was all I'd ever been concerned about. And even if it wasn't much, in the grand scheme of things...

It earned me warm, tasty food, a ready supply of clean robes... and a sturdy roof over my head.

The closer we got to the temple, the fancier the surrounding buildings became.

As the downpour reached a crescendo, I found myself standing in front of the 500 Republica... the tallest, sleekest, most magnificent building on the entire planet.

A thousand stories of the finest apartment suites in the galaxy, open to only the wealthiest individuals.

Home to the Chancellor's living quarters.

...

On that fateful day, when I brought down the droid general...

Did I triumph because of the force, or in spite of it?

Was I simply a single stone in a larger structure, a grand design orchestrated by the will of the force?

Or did I get here through my own will?

Luck, fate, and the force...

'Well, in the end...' I pondered to myself, eyeing a cocoon of construction scaffolding that enveloped the tower's lower half. 'It doesn't really matter.'

Agonizing over the greater powers commanding me would only further shackle me to them.

"How long are you going to stand there?" Ahsoka laughed, water streaming down her montrals as the rain cascaded down.

"Very f-" I started, still transfixed by the metal spire.

"KRACKOWWWWW!"

Lightning struck the top of the tower...

Like it was goading me.

As jagged white split the atmosphere, a childhood memory flashed before my eyes.

'Oh how I wanted to climb that lightning... to reach the sky.'

Of course... there was only one thing for me to do. The one thing I knew how to do.

Climb.

Before I'd even made the decision, my legs carried me to the base of the scaffolding.

"Hey! Where are you going?!" Ahsoka shouted after me, her voice fading.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

My gauntlets drummed against the durasteel ladder with each new grasp, and the ascent began.

"Clang!"

Just as I reached the second level, a pair of wings fluttered past the back of my head.

"Cawww!"

Morai. The precursor to Ahsoka.

"Slow down, speedy!" Ahsoka huffed, struggling out of the hole in the platform. "What exactly is the objective here?"

"To climb the tower." I answered simply, peering skyward.

Her blue eyes expanded, and her jaw slightly dropped.

After taking a moment to process, she shook her head several times.

"Zevon, this is really dangerous... I don't think it's a good idea." Ahsoka stated cautiously.

"Like you don't hatch wild plans with Anakin every other mission." I chuckled, snorting.

"No sir, I have nothing to do with those, trust me." she defended. "Plus, there's a reason for those plans... at the very least."

"I have a reason to climb this!" I insisted, gesturing to the tower.

"Oh? Then let's hear it." she challenged, crossing her arms.

"Because it's there." I answered, setting my sights on the summit.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Before she could object again, I was scaling the next level.

When the scaffolding ended at the halfway point, the climb instantly became a death game.

500 stories of sleek, slippery paneling... in the rain.

Dangerous.

Extremely dangerous.

All the more reason to take on such a challenge.

"We probably shouldn't go any further..." Ahsoka spoke up. "And the security systems could always identify us."

"I'm going." I asserted, unwilling to back down.

"You...!" Ahsoka blurted out, stopping herself. "I... fine. But I'm backing out."

"I get it." I assured her, patting her on the shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

"May the force be with you." she smiled, leaving me to my endeavor.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

I persisted onward, refusing to look down even once as I left the ground behind me.

"KRACKOWWWWW!"

'Not that I'm opposed to watching you die, but this judgement was extremely poor.' the Son murmured through my stream of thought.

"Your opinion... means very little to me." I muttered.

'Even I would've chosen to play it safe here, yet you can't help being unwise... can you? It's in your nature.' he accused snidely.

"It's not something I expect you to understand." I shot back, gritting my teeth. "I've never had the option to play it safe. You might as well tell me to give up."

'Still as desperate as ever, eh?' the batlike creature taunted further, sounding increasingly bored.

"For someone who claims to be in my head, you're really bad at reading me... aren't you?" I laughed. "But I guess that's what happens to someone who spent their whole life locked in their dad's place."

'Hrmph.' the miniature gargoyle grumbled.

"I'm not desperate, I'm more confident than I've ever been." I reaffirmed, grabbing hold of another crack in the paneling. "It's just that now, more than ever, I can't waver."

"KRACKOWWW!"

With every story I surmounted, the torrent of rain grew stronger, and the lightning flashed closer.

Ahsoka

As Zevon ascended the city's peak, not even his winged companion could match his pace.

His drive... no one else had it.

Not even my master.

It's what I admired most about him... but also feared.

'I'm telling you to trust him.'

"Sorry, but I just can't see what you see... Master Gallia." I lamented, staring at Zevon's silhouette until it shrank into nothingness.

I shivered slightly.

"KRACKOOOWWWW!"

Lightning struck again, sending tremors flaring up within my body.

My lip trembled.

For how simple an action it was, for how much relief it would bring me, I just couldn't look away.

"What do you think, Morai?" I winced, turning to my avian guardian. "Should I just... do nothing? Is that really the right thing?"

She cocked her head, preening her white feathers.

Of course I wasn't going to get any guidance from her.

"I think... I just... need to let him be, huh?" I stated reluctantly. "Yeah..."

I crossed my arms, trying to stay stoic, but the tears were relentless... furiously swimming to the surface of my eyes.

I paused, swallowed... and made my decision.

"I'll always worry for him..." I declared, emotions stirring within my chest. "But I can't control him... and I won't watch this anymore."

A pair of pearly droplets slid down my cheeks.

I sniffled, glaring to hold back more tears...

Turned away...

"Tap!"

"Tap! Tap!"

"Tap! Tap! Tap!"

"Woooooosh!"

And ran, leaping across the first rooftop.

"KRACKOWWWW!"

The memories came crashing down on me.

'Back then...'

Flashback

"Tap!"

"Tap!"

"Tap!"

I dashed through the frigid cavern, snaking through frozen crags that hung from the cave ceiling.

My feet couldn't carry me fast enough.

The cold had long since become lethal, the glacial air ruthlessly assaulting my skin, my lungs...

Like daggers dipped in a numbing agent that dulled the senses.

'Where...?'

'Where...??!!'

"WHERE ARE YOU, Zevon?!" I screamed desperately.

When silence answered, my heart doubled its pace... as did my legs.

If I just hadn't left him alone...

If I'd just told him the truth when he'd asked...

'Ahsoka, do you agree with him?'

The truth...

That I didn't think he could become a Jedi.

End Flashback

"Tap!"

"Tap!"

"Tap!"

'And back then...'

Flashback

"Zevon, you can't make that!" I stammered, referring to the impassable gap in front of us...

The chasm between two buildings.

Six meters of death.

"Not if I don't try, Ahsoka." he fired back, lost in focus. "And I have to."

"Don't try it!" I urged. "Because you might not get a second one..."

Before I could snatch his wrist, he took off.

"Tap!"

"Tap! Tap!"

"Tap! Tap! Tap!"

My stomach lurched.

"Wooooooosh!"

As he sailed through the night, his cloak flapping in the wind, it was instantly obvious to me...

That he wouldn't make it.

"Woooooosh!"

I launched myself with as much force as possible, and extended a hand...

I pushed Zevon over the remainder of the gap with the force...

"Thump!"

And ended with a crash landing, barely skidding onto the terrace on the other side.

Zevon despaired, his attempt a failure.

"You made it just fine!" he wailed, pounding the terrace with his fists.

The scrapes on my knees said otherwise.

End Flashback

"Tap!"

"Tap!"

"Tap!"

'Which is why I did it...'

Flashback

"Padawan Tano... this council is considering the transfer of youngling Boltreaver." Master Plo informed me, his voice easing and calm. "Many of us believe his talents will be a better fit for the service corps. What do you propose?"

"I... that's..." I stuttered, blindsided by the question. "That's... probably for the best, yes... Master Plo."

My face fell, saddened by the news, as well as revealing my true feelings.

But...

I'd known for a long time... that this was inevitable.

Unavoidable.

End Flashback

Because I knew that he'd never listen to me.