Once There Was a Light

It's Time for the Jedi to End

A/N: The title is, you guessed it, from Luke's speech in The Last Jedi trailer. Well, I don't know that Palpatine means it the same way, but it's got the same ominous ring to it. I'm pushing for the trend that Palpatine said it first. Anyway, the beginning is a flash back/forward, (I'm not sure yet, but it fits both, actually, and I might use it later on.) just so you know. Enjoy! 

It's Time for the Jedi to End

Instinctively, his hand went over his mouth. It was a natural reaction to stifle the pain. He couldn't imagine not having all of his limbs. If Obi-Wan had his way, the story would have been much different. But he would have rather lost a limb than watched this happen.

It wasn't right for her to suffer this much pain, and he could feel it. There was such a strong bond between them – she was just an extension of him as he was an extension of her. Palpatine knew his weakness, and had always known his weaknesses. And he was exploiting another one, exposing bones and blood from underneath the flesh.

Though he hasn't let himself do it in a long time, he cries.

No one could have seen this coming.

Even with his measure of clairvoyance through visions, this was never a part of it.

Why couldn't something just go right for once?

But he was the Chosen One, destined to suffer. Really, it was the others suffering because of him. It wasn't fair.

It's never fair.

The Emperor was proficient in Jar'Kai, much like Ahsoka herself, and quickly found it necessary to wield two lightsabers at once. Where he kept the second one was a bit of a mystery, really, and Ahsoka wasn't sure she even wanted to know.

No form of combat seemed to stump the wizened Sith. Shien, with its reverse grip, was Ahsoka's favored method of using her sabers, and to her disappointment, the Emperor was quite capable at even this more advanced form.

He started cackling midway through their fight, and that was the most annoying thing about him.

Though she was out of practice, Ahsoka nearly matched Anakin in ability. The Force seemed to flow through her, raw and pure, and for the first time in a long time, she felt truly connected to it. Her bright white blades clashed against Palpatine's red, as she and Anakin took him on one at a time.

Anakin improved on Djem So with Makashi, but generally favored Ataru, the way of aggression. It fit her Master well, Ahsoka thought. He would strike Palpatine's blade with agility, darting back, spinning to catch a stray hit, and swinging forward with a skill that was much more proficient than his with slaying droids.

Ahsoka, on her part, utilized Ataru and Shien against Palpatine's Juyo, which was the most vicious lightsaber form possible. Ahsoka had only ever seen Juyo in its variation, Vaapad, which was created and practiced by Master Windu. She had only ever seen him in action a few times during the Clone Wars (including an earlier incident in which she and the Master had to save Anakin and Obi-Wan, as usual) and she had certainly never practiced techniques with him on purpose.

She blocked the Emperor's swings, but she was mostly on the defensive, given that she was so out of practice and the last experience she'd had with her sabers was deflecting the blaster bolts from droids rather than creating a mounted defense against the most powerful Sith Lord of the day. Her experiences with Ventress and Grievous had taught her a thing or two to help in preparation for future battles, but they certainly did not have the mastery that Palpatine did.