𝗔𝗵𝘀𝗼𝗸𝗮 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝗼

Chapter Fourteen

Full disclaimer, Ahsoka was inherently very grateful to be picked up off of the street (even if it was like some stray), no matter how utimately demeaning it really was... but that desperate thankfulness really did nothing to stop both the pang of guilt from her feeling like a burden, nor the slight throbbing of shame from being helpless.

Now that she was relatively safe for the moment, things were really starting to catch up to her no matter how hard she attempted to shove the reminder of the unfortunate train wreck of events that at utterly and completely derailed her life in a matter of hours.

She was almost thankful for the sharp noise and ringing laughter that made her jump, breaking her out of her painful reverie. The metallic laughter met her montrals and she blinked, refocusing on her present self: her spoon absentmindedly swirling her nearly untouched soup around her bowl; her unconsciously clenched fist sitting in her lap; and the aching, smarting pains that she had been doing her best to ignore.

Bringing her splaying attention to the echoing of clanking silverware and laughter, Ahsoka was met with a scowling Darra and two mirth-filled teenagers across from her. Ahsoka didn't know what the sound had been, but she assumed it had something to do with the dripping water Darra was swiping out of her eyes, only half-mad in reality, no matter how hard she tried to school her expression into one of annoyance.

Ahsoka, still slightly dazed and almost feeling dissociated from reality (whether from pain, exhaustion, shock, or all three, she didn't know), could do nothing more than monotonously watch the events play out, and she almost didn't notice the shift in conversation, as she had peacefully gone back to staring intently into her bowl.

Though that dazed and distracted feeling didn't last very long, as a single word from a seemingly murmured conversation (like she was hearing everything from the end of a dark hallway), met her montrals; and it wasn't her name (or rather, alias).

"... Jedi..."

Ahsoka couldn't help it: she flinched. Head snapping up, her eyes no longer downcast and weary, but almost shocked and alert, and she found that the fateful utterance had come from the girl

Elena, Ahsoka reminded herself. She couldn't help but listen intently as the girl said her piece, and was oddly reminiscent of her first encounter with the now-senator of Onderon, Lux Bonteri.

"... I've got a lot of people telling me they're bad, but they don't exactly seem as bad as some people are saying ... though I haven't exactly met one, so who am I to talk, I guess." She shrugged, and her brother snorted, picking up her trailed-off line of thought.

"It does seem a little hard to believe that a switch was flipped and now Jedi are all bad because some anti-war activist says so, but I haven't actually met one either."

Ahsoka could tangibly feel her conflicting emotions writhing through the Force. Now, both wary, and weary at the mention of her old... normal, Ahsoka was trying desperately to organize her storming thoughts and feelings, and so she was utterly caught off guard by the calling of her own person.

"... Ana?"

She blinked, shaking her head and turning to look at the boy. Arodi, her subconscious supplied.

"I'm sorry, say that again?" She asked, furrowing her brows and meeting his eyes across the table.

"Sure," he told her, suddenly shifting his body to lean forward earnestly. "What about you? You ever meet a Jedi?"

Ahsoka almost dropped her spoon. She had to refrain from giving a sardonic snort of cynicism, but, ironically, thanks to her Jedi upbringing, was able to force out a strangled cough instead.