squad fic: prequel trilogy part two
Jun. 1st, 2019 09:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
splinteredstar
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All righty. Anakin and obi wan take the first watch. Anakin didn't need to be awake, but he stayed up anyway.
Obi Wan lets him. It's good practice
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Nearby, Ren sits in front of the fire and meditates instead of sleeping. He touches the dark and the light almost equally, emotion and calm, and that is unsettling enough that Obi Wan watches with half a mind.
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With a jerk, he realizes that there is something familiar in the meditation - something in the pattern reminds him of the meditation taught to jedi, as if it came from the same source.
heyktula
That mental image of Ren meditating equally with dark and light just makes me really happy because in TFA he was so resistant to the light so it's nice to see him having come this far.
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Eventually, ren opens an eye. Obi Wan does not flush at being caught watching, but feels Anakin's amusement nonetheless
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Ren draws himself out meditation quickly, and stretches out his limbs. The man is all muscle - he'd be a strong opponent even without the force involved
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*time passes, i can't come up with a smooth transition here*
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Obi stretches out his own meditation. Something tugs at his mind - something he needs to know, and does not know if he will get a chance at the temple
Perhaps it is only here, only now in this strange half real place where nothing makes sense, that he can ask
"I do have one question." Anakin feels the shape of his thoughts and stills, uncomfortable. Ren merely inclines his head.
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"What does "unfettered" mean?" He pitches his voice to address Anakin as well. A moment of silence. "Does it mean freed, or...?"
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It meant more than that, he could tell. Whatever it meant, he could feel the glow of awe and surprise from Anakin about it. It was important, he knew, to understanding his padawan.
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(Damn it, I switched tenses there for a bit.)
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Ren opens his mouth, just as Anakin shifts awkwardly on his seat.
Ren closes it again, and inclines his head to Anakin, ceding the explanation if he wishes
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Obi Wan turns to his padawan, noting with with concern his fidgeting and discomfort. He should have, he thinks, tried to understand his padawan like this much sooner.
heyktula
(LOOK AT YOU, OBI WAN. YOU ARE GETTING IT. YOU ARE STARTING TO GET IT.)
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"It's not - really, it's -" Anakin absently sketches out a symbol on the rock, a broken circle. He takes a breath, starts over. "You know the trackers have explosives in them, right?"
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Obi Wan nods. Horrifying, even years later. Anakin glances away, rubs at the spot in his hip where his own was removed.
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"Depuran," the plural form, Obi Wan assumed, "Always put them somewhere where the explosion - wouldn't kill you, not right away. I think mom's was in her knee."
(Is, not was)
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"So if you were caught trying to escape," Anakin curled up on the rock, his eyes distant. "Or causing trouble, or whatever... Depur could set it off and - you could survive it, but. But only if you got help quickly. Only if Depuran let the doctors near you. Only if they were feeling merciful and thought you'd learned your lesson. Otherwise..." he shrugs, and obi wan can taste the blood and memory through their bond. "You bleed out."
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Anakin says it like it's normal, like that is the state of the world, and obi wan tastes smoke in the back of throat.
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"Except." And there was the awe, there was the envy, there was a whole tangle of emotions that Obi Wan hardly understands. "Except, sometimes... sometimes Depur would leave them to bleed out and - they'd survive." He takes a breath. "Lose an arm or half a leg, have a hole blown of their stomach, and they'd escape anyway."
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"That's what it means to be unfettered," Anakin says, quiet. "Not just free. But free at any cost, no matter what Depur tried to do to stop you." His hands curl on his knees.
heyktula
(I just had the biggest lightbulb moment over their previous 'unfettered' conversation.)
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(It's legitimately one of my favorite concepts of fia's.)
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Anakin's eyes slide over to Ren. Not suspicious, but curious. "What did you lose? You said you - weren't sure."
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Ren shifts, shuffling awkwardly.
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"Your arm?"
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Ren snorts, rubbing the joints on his metal hand. "He - no, all of his tracking was," he taps the side of his head. "Up here." Anakin winces. "I did lose the arm to him, I just....haven't decided if that counts."
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(Yes, kylo is somewhat under selling himself here)
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Anakin - nods, and leaves it at that.
*sensible scene transition here*
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Actually, break time
heyktula
I feel like Kylo underselling himself is a pretty common trait.
Also, that source material is so amazing also.
I really like Anakin and Kylo being able to contextualize their experience in terms of their shared culture.
splinteredstar
I think Anakin (and grampa Anakin) considers kylo unfettered. But it's not the sort of thing you can decide for someone else
heyktula
Yeah, I think that too.
Today at 12:29 PM
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Okay. Thing I haven't worked into the headfic yet because this is the only timeline where it's plot relevant
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And it's kind of based on old headcanons. But it /is/ plot relevant so it's showing up here
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So. With the caveat that it's impossible to pin kylo's brain down to a diagnosis - there's no way to tell what's his neurotype, what's a weird fluctuation in his brain chemistry caused by something else, what's ptsd, and what's due to snoke actively fucking things up.
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Kylo finds mood stabilizers helpful. It doesn't get rid of the rest, but it helps him deal with it. Keeps his brain from actively working against him.
Today at 2:53 PM
heyktula
Exactly, way easier to manage things when your brain isn't like "EVERY FEELING IS CRANKED UP TO NINE THOUSAND"
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Okay. So. Ship shows up to pick up jedi + ren.
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Ren walks past and finds the shielded chamber, willingly walking in. Then he pauses, his lip quirking, and unclips his lightsaber and holds it out.
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....actually, scratch that
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Obi Wan asks for it. He feels uncomfortable. He dreamed of smoke and fire again. Ren stares at him, not reacting for a long moment.
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And then he nods. Unclips his saber and holds it out.
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Obi Wan takes it - and nearly drops it
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It feels - there is something wrong with it, something deeply broken and warped, it felt powerful and intense and sick -
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"Yeah. I know." Kylo shrugs, as if the lightsaber didn't feel like a half exploded bomb in Obi Wan's hands. "Long story. Just be careful with it."
heyktula
Oh no, I hadn't even considered what it felt like to hold Kylo's saber.
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There's an actual reason he uses it still but it'll show up later
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Kylo shuts himself in the shielded room, and as soon as the doors shut his aura in the force dims. He is too powerful for it to hide him completely, but it lessens the pressure
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Kylo leans against the door, relaxing his shoulders as the chaotic noise of the universe dulls to a faint hum. He loosens his control, and curls up on the bunk to sleep.
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Outside, Obi Wan carries the saber carefully, and swallows. "Vos, I would suggest you do not touch this "
Vos' hands are deeply psychically sensitive. He nods, tucking his arms into his robes protectively.
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*insert travel montage here*
heyktula
(I'm so glad Kylo gets to sleep now.)
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Meanwhile, in the jedi temple.... Rey ducks past security guards and sealed passage ways. Finn follows, a little exasperated. They end up in a rarely used docking bay, where a team of guards and Mace wait for them.
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Mace glares."What are you two doing here?"
Finn stiffens, thinking of excuses or justifications, something that would keep them out of trouble.
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"The force told me to be here." Rey says, unapologetic. She subtly shifts so that she's in front of finn. She shrugs a little.
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Mace sees the shatter point around them. He narrows his eyes, and gestures to let them stay.
"Stay out of the way."
He is concerned about these children - concerned for them, by them. They are connected to this darksider and the force has given him nothing that makes any sense
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They are walking shatter points and Mace does not know what else will shatter with them
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Rey nods and settles down to meditate. Finn sits next to her.
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They are not jedi. Their meditation is nothing like anything he has seen, their aura illogical and strange. They are not jedi and were never trained as them
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They should have been. They should have been trained as jedi as children.
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Ret nad only said that there was no one to train them. And that is all the more chilling for the fact that Mace can tell they were not lying
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Rey had, gosh. Typing
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On the ship.... they approach corsecant, and slide into the parking pattern. The shielded chamber slides open and Ren lopes out, slouched and bleary.
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"Hello. We've - almost arrived." Obi Wan says, disconcerted at Ren's bleary look.
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"I know." He mutters, rubbing the side of his head. "The noise woke me up."
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"Oh, gosh, your shields." Ayla says, wincing. She probably shouldn't be so sympathetic to a darksider, but he's been nice and it's not really his fault...
He doesn't feel dangerous, and she's supposed to trust the force, right?
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"I /hate/ this place," he mumbles as he slumps over a table. He already has the edges of a headache from the psychic noise of the most populated place in the galaxy.
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(Contextual note that really should have been earlier but I forgot: crew that picked up Ren don't know about the future. They are aware of rey and Finn but have not met and do not know any of the things they have hinted at)
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The darksider who defeated him in minutes at that moment sounds so much like a whining padawan that Obi Wan almost smiles.
Today at 1:41 PM
heyktula
I always feel so much for Kylo in crowds.
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Seriously. Normally it's fine, but he's exhausted and stressed out and he doesn't know where his family or his husband is, and this place is rough even on good days.
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Kylo looks up from the table, eyes narrowed as if listening hard in the direction of the jedi temple.
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He shakes his head, and then lays it down on his crossed arms
heyktula
Oh no, buddy. He just figured out where Hux isn't.
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-also that, yes.
That's not what I meant, but, yes.
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The ship lands at the hidden docking bay.
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The doors slide open - and Rey slides in between the guards
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.....shit I know what happens next but I'm half asleep, get on this later
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Okay. So. Ship with Ren + jedi just landed at the temple.
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The doors slide open and Ren walks out.
heyktula
Yes!
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Mace stares at him, suspicious. Even now, his aura in the force is intense and dark, a thunderstorm about to burst open. Shatter points swirl around him but Mace can't read them, and his strength is clearly immense.
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Mace clenches his fist so that he doesn't reach for his saber. Instincts are screaming at him, but he does not move.
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"Kylo!"
Kylo jerks to the side. "What the fuck, Rey?"
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The girl has insinuated herself between the guards and smiles up at the tall knight. "I shouted at you as soon as you hit atmo, didn't you hear me?"
"My shields are shot, I can't hear anything on this fucking planet..."
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"You two know each other?" Obi Wan says, shooting Mace a concerned look.
"Cousin," kylo says, barely glancing at the jedi.
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"I did that to his face!" Rey grins, pointing up kylo's scar. Kylo huffs and rolls his eyes. "First time I'd ever used a lightsaber."
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The jedi stare, wide eyed.
"Like I hadn't already been shot that day," kylo gripes, arms crossed.
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"You completely deserved both of those things," finn cuts in from the side.
"I've never said that I didn't!"
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(Headcanon: rey never stops giving kylo shit about getting his ass kicked by a pair of rookies)
heyktula
(I never knew I wanted this headcanon until now, but I love it so much. Yes, please.)
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(Rey and kylo are constantly low key competitive. Kylo admittedly is torn between "must be the best" and "oh no baby cousin". Rey just likes having someone she can go all out against without breaking.)
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The assembled jedi glance at each other and at rey, this self trained warrior apparently able to best the darksider that had defeated the best duelists in the temple.
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Mace frowns. The storm cloud pressure of this darksider lessens when faced with the girl, but the darkness does not.
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"Darksider." Kylo disengages from rey and faces him. He does not bow.
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Mace gets an impression of power and noise and - emotion, nerves and uncertainty - and then ren breaks the eye contact to stare down at the box Mace holds.
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Ren nods, and holds out his wrist.
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"Wait, kylo, what's-" Rey stops, staring at the thin strip of leather Mace now has in his hands. It feels - it feels like nothing and Rey -
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"Force inhibitor. One of the council's conditions." Kylo's voice has gone flat again, like his vocoder is on, like
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"/what/". Rey slides in between, glaring up at Mace. Behind them, Anakin stiffens in shock. "No, not happening."
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Kylo grits his teeth. "Rey, I agreed to this, it's fine."
"This is /not/ fine."
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"Rey, let it go."
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Rey glares over her shoulder at him, and doesn't move.
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"Rey." Kylo says, stiff. "It's this or they try to kill me. Let it go."
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Rey glares up at Mace and she /burns/, all her power in the force sweeping out like a sandstorm, the sort of storm that strips the flesh from the unwary. "I could stop them," she says, and Mace is in that moment is not sure that she's wrong. The shatter point around her crackles.
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"If we're gonna take out the sith we're going to have to work with them! This is fine, rey, just - let it go, please."
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Rey and kylo look at each other for a moment. Their force bond twangs, kylo pressing "don't do this for me, don't risk it for me, we have to do this," and Rey snarling back "they have no right you've done nothing to them you shouldn't have to-"
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In the back of her mind, finn whispers "don't fight it here don't fight it now keep quiet keep secret hide hide hide just for now, swallow it down for little while."
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Rey frowns, and steps out of the way. But only to stand at kylo's side, grabbing his hand in her own. "Fine." The word sounds like a curse.
heyktula
(this is such perfect characterization for all three of them that I cannot even. Like, so perfect.)
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(<33 rey is made out of protecc and FIGHT)
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(Finn will also get into FIGHT but in a bit)
(Finn plays along with the rules until he doesn't.)
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The inhibitor wraps around kylo's wrist. The loop closes -
- and kylo disappears
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He's there, warm against her side and breathing harshly - but he is a gap in the force, there's nothing there, no feed back or resonance, like he's not even there -
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"Fuck." He breathes, shuddering. "It's -" he swallows, tries again. "It's \quiet/."
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Finn is at his side and - he doesn't feel it, he doesn't feel anyone around him, this isn't - he breathes in, and then out again, it's just like being blindfolded - it isn't, it isn't, but -
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Rey tucks herself into his side, relying on the sheer physical presence of him as reassurance. Maybe it's helping him. She can't tell. But he wraps an arm around her shoulders anyway.
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Anakin stares and all he can think is that this should not have happened. He is angry. He should not be angry, especially not at the masters. But he /is/
Obi Wan is deeply uncomfortable and he does not know if it is the gap in the force or the knowledge that a council member caused it
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*scene transition ~*
heyktula
Aaaahhhhhh I am so here for all of this. Kylo accepting this for the greater good, and, like, literally everybody else being uncomfortable with it.
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Kylo is given a room with heavy force shielding. He suspects it's actually a prison cell, and there's definitely surveillance on it. But there's a bed and a 'fresher in it. It's not as bad as the citadel.
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....I am literally just now realizing how many characters I am balancing in this plotline. Fuck.
No wonder it's been harder, eeesh
heyktula
Yeah, you have a massive cast with this one.
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Bleh. Also there's a lot... /more/ in this timeline.
I could honestly make a full 20 chp fic out of this
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The plan is established: kylo will tell the order everything he knows of the sith and their methods, and train with particular jedi, including Mace. The inhibitor will be removed only when necessary for training.
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Rey and Finn will also assist.
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The jedi give their report to the council. Anakin - hesitates, in explaining the symbols he recognizes. It feels like a betrayal. It makes him feel bitter - that suddenly the thing he was supposed to abandon is suddenly relevant. It's valueable. A resource.
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Depur, depur, depur, his mind echoes
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"And you believe him." Mace says, after Anakin explains the significance of the symbols and the language. "That he was...enslaved by a darksider and has escaped."
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Anakin can't tell if Mace is annoyed at him. But he nods.
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"Very convenient, this connection is." Yoda says, frowning. He doesn't believe a word of it, and yet...
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Anakin stares at the ground. He's not sure why he expected otherwise.
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Obi Wan - raises a hand. Yoda gestures to allow him to speak. "Masters, I had the opportunity to investigate his shields. It was.... nothing like the mind of the sith that I fought. I have never see psychic damage of that extent. I am....not an expert, but slavery would... explain what I saw."
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Yoda's ears flick once more. "Many illusions, the dark side has." He mutters.
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"But it would explain why he's willing to help defeat us." Mace says, leaning forward. "I haven't sensed any deceit or reluctance from him. He agreed to the inhibitor."
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Help defeat the sith, eeesh, sentence structure
heyktula
Also, Yoda is being a massive jerk, and I am sad that Anakin is having such conflicting feelings about his culture.
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It is eventually decided that the council will interview kylo and the others themselves. Figure out wtf is actually happening here. There are some major questions in this story
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In the meantime, kylo is dragged down to the healers. They asked him his midoclorian count, and he only shrugged.
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It's 1900. The same as rey's. Dead on. They both pout about it
heyktula
(omg of course they do) Today at 5:37 PM
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While he's there, the healer takes a sample for DNA test.
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Secretly, mind
heyktula
Oh no.
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Yeeeep
heyktula
Well, uh, that'll teach them some things.
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Once it processes, yes.
Kylo gets shuffled back into his room. But finn lingers for a bit
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Finn is the medic. Finn knows the medication all of his squad, and keeps on them to make sure they take it
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So he chats with the healer to see if he can get kylo's refilled. He knows the chemical name and the amount and the healer just - blinks at him
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They don't say no, but mutter something about making sure it's clear with the council.
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He can tell they're not familiar with the medication. Which....well, he'll do some research
heyktula
I love Finn so much.
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Finn is the actual best who deserves every good thing in the world
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Okay. The last time we left our heroes....
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Kylo has been given a shielded room in the basements of the temple. They will meet with the council in the morning to explain what happened and discuss his aid against the sith.
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Those Jedi who have experience with darksiders are collected and will be present.
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Finn spends a few hours in the healers' libraries, which is not unusual for him.
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Jedi who specialize with lightsabers stare at Kylo's Saber from a safe distance
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Obi Wan tells his padawan to rest. Obi Wan sleeps as well, and dreams of endless sand and a universe empty of any lights
heyktula
(library X Finn is my OTP)
Yesterday at 2:31 PM
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The next day, everyone assembles in large, shielded chamber
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Only half of the Council is there. If something happens, they don't want the entire council wiped out at once
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So. Everyone is assembled. Kylo stands, fiddling with the inhibitor on his wrist but does not try to take it off.
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The Jedi stare at him, all uncomfortable with the presence of someone they cannot sense in the force
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He's hardly more comfortable, in truth. It took him an hour to get used to how his balance is different, how sound echoes - all the things that he'd been tweaking with tbe force without even knowing it
He walked into the corner of his bed this morning. It was humiliating and he was glad no one who's opinion mattered was there to see it
heyktula
Oh, my baby.
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(He also walks into door frames a few times.)
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(He has no idea how people live like this)
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(But at the same time... once he gets used to it. It's. Nice? Strange but nice. It's quiet.
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He feels like an ocean creature suddenly placed in a still pond. His mind has nothing in it but the echoes of his own thoughts. )
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Mace is not pacing, but on some level he wants to. He's read the midoclorian report on the man. In raw force power alone, he out strips any one in the temple aside from Rey, who cares for him, and Anakin, who appears to /like/ the man.
He's going to have a serious conversation with obi wan, later
Yesterday at 10:22 PM
heyktula
That conversation with Obi Wan is gonna be strange! And I'm glad that Kylo is finding some positives about this.
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Jedi, kylo, Finn and Rey are in a shielded chamber. Everyone is uncomfortable. Only half of them know why they're there
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Kylo stays close to Rey, noticeably. He can't protect himself, can't even tell what to protect himself from. His eyes are jumping from one jedi to another, trying to interpret expressions and body language. He's bad at it and he hates it, makes him nervous
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Rey sticks close. She can't reassure him through the force, but the rest of his senses still work, so she wraps a hand around his and doesn't let go. Her other hand is around finn's
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Anakin wants to reassure him, but he's too aware of mace and Yoda watching.
heyktula
(my Anakin feels just exploded in my chest)
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"Greetings." Mace begins. His eyes slide over the travelers but he does not comment. "You have been asked to come here because you are some of our best duelists and have the most experience with dealing with darksiders." Rey's hand clenches around kylo's. "You are all aware that the sith have returned and are an active threat." Nods from around the room. "You are also aware that this is a situation that has caught us off guard and cost us one of our best jedi."
Obi Wan's jaw clenches and anakin shoots him a pulse of comiseration
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"We have an unique opportunity presented to us," he says, tilting his head at Kylo.
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"A darksider has expressed a desire to help us defeat the sith." Mutters and surprise echo as the jedi realize that one of strangers in their midst was a darksider - the other part of the statement kicking off another round of muttering.
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"However, " mace says, cutting off the noise, " we have some obvious reservations about this," someone in the back snickers and is shushed.
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Mace turns to Ren. "The reports we have received about you are different to believe."
Ren shrugs, as if the council's belief is irrelevant
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Difficult, bleh
heyktula
(I'm just picturing Kylo shrugging, like 'yeah, and what of it?')
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"Cannot, in one soul, light and dark coexist." Yoda says, his cane tapping, glaring at Ren. "And yet, otherwise we have been told."
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Obi Wan shifts awkwardly. It feels like an accusation, even though he only reported what he saw. Maybe Yoda will explain that he was mistaken and find out what's really happening and - well, it won't be be good, but it would be /better/. It would at least make /sense/
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"All things are possible with the force," Ren says, smirking and meeting yoda's eyes.
Obi Wan chokes slightly
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"Now who's picking fights?" Rey mutters, tugging on kylo's hand
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Kylo rolls his eyes and tugs back
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"Therefore", mace says, interrupting the impending stare off. Yoda snorts and his ears flick. "You will demonstrate this, and also explain how you came to be in this position and are willing to help us."
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Kylo shrugs again, but his grip on Rey's hand tightens
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"You'll have to take this off, then." He gestures with his free hand, showing off the inhibitor on his wrist
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Mace frowns, but nods.
Today at 3:15 PM
heyktula
(eeeeeeeeeeeee)
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Kylo holds out his wrist. Mace stares at it, and reaches forward to unlatch the inhibitor.
Finn watches carefully. Biometric lock? Keyed to his force signature, maybe
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The inhibitor unwraps.
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The sense and power of Kylo Ren fills the room, ozone and smoke heavy in the air. It is dark and thick and more than one Jedi grips their lightsaber out of instinct
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Kylo - relaxes. Rey presses her mind against his and he smiles at her, just a little, pressing back and shaking himself out like he'd spent too long in a too-small ship
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He can feel the fear and distrust of the Jedi, but he can deal with that.
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"All right." Kylo untangles his hand from Rey's, and stretches his arms put behind him.
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He holds up his flesh hand, the one that held a sword that cut down his loved ones. He thinks, grief, grief, rage and guilt - and a ball of darkness wraps around his hand.
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Mace flinches back, his hand gripping his saber. But -
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- the darkness wraps around like a snake, but does not try to attack. Rey pokes it and it licks at her, harmless.
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Kylo breathes, trying to find that place inside where he can stand above, where the light and dark passes through without touching - it's not easy at the best of times, to do both at once, and this isn't the best of times -
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He holds out his metal hand, carved with the symbols of freedom and choice, and steps back from himself -
- and the light wraps around his hand, not as strong as the dark but unmistakable
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The Jedi stare at the darkness and the light wrapped around Kylo's hands. Mace steps - closer, probing with the force, looking for illusions and mistakes, and yet -
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Yoda narrows his eyes, his ears flicking with irritation. It cannot be, but he cannot see what must be there
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A moment later and kylo drops the manifestations, inclining his head in question.
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Yoda is not satisfied, but there is little he can say.
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Mace crosses his arms. "Well then." Kylo shrugs, as if he hadn't just broken their basic understanding of the force. "Now I have more questions."
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"I can do that," Rey says, catching everyone's attention. She pulls on the light first, the impartial burn of the sun at high noon, and it curls in her hand like a star - then she pulls on the dark, demanding and eager, joy and excitement in her other hand.
Her dark is not as strong as kylo's, and her light stronger, but the comparison was unavoidable
heyktula
Omg Rey.
splinteredstar
"And you call me a show off," kylo mutters, smirking. Rey drops the manifestation and smacks his arm
Mace stares.
splinteredstar
"And it didn't occur to you to tell us about this?"
Rey blinks. "You guys can't?"
Mace let's out a breath. Shoots a look at Yoda that the other returns with a glare.
splinteredstar
"Right. We will.... meditate and discuss that matter later. " possibly over alcohol. "I still want to know how you have come to want to help us." He glances over to Rey. "Both of you, now."
splinteredstar
Rey crosses her arms. "Is wanting to help people not enough?"
splinteredstar
Mace glares down at her. Adi steps forward. She had asked to be here and has gotten along well with rey. "Well, it's not that. But we don't really understand how the two of you have come to be."
.
