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𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐘-𝐓𝐖𝐎
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THE MOON WAS AN ORRIS-SILVER ORB gleaming up at Corvus' lonely night sky.
Din Djarin paced a few feet away from Ahsoka Tano and the child. It had just been hours since they have arrived at the planet of Corvus and it had just barely been a day ever since he last saw Aeryn Mavek.
For hours, the Mandalorian couldn't help but think of what could have been if only he hadn't left Aeryn at the school. How different their situation would be if only he was strong enough to protect her and let her tag along in their Imperial base raid.
It had only been hours and yet, his own thoughts tormented him for what seemed to be an eternity.
It was just too much. He had lost too much. And yet, he knew what he must do. He knew that he needed to take care of the child no matter what.
Even if it meant for him doing it alone. All by himself.
In just a blink of an eye, he was, once again, just a lone Mandalorian.
The only information with great value that their raid at the Imperial base gave him was of the fact that Moff Gideon was indeed, still alive. He figured that out of all the possibilities, Aeryn would come and surrender herself to Moff Gideon. To the Empire.
If not that, what else could be the reason?
Why would she leave when she spent most of her life looking for him?
Why else would Aeryn Mavek, the love of his life, break her promise?
"I sense much pain in you." Ahsoka Tano's voice echoed through the forest, catching Din's attention. "It almost feels like I'm being tormented myself."
The Mandalorian, however, did not mind the Jedi's remarks. Instead, he slowly made his way to where she and the child was.
"Is he speaking? Do you understand him" Din asked, changing the subject.
"In a way. Grogu and I can feel each other’s thoughts."
Underneath his beskar helmet, Din furrowed his eyebrows; slightly tilting his head.
"Grogu?"
The child cooed.
"Yes. That’s his name."
"Grogu." the Mandalorian repeated.
This time, the child's head bolted towards his direction. He looked up at Din with sparkling eyes.
The Mandalorian couldn't help but think that if only Aeryn was here, she would be extremely happy. She would've finally know the child's name. Their child's name.
"He was raised at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Many Masters trained him over the years. At the end of the Clone Wars when the Empire rose to power, he was hidden."Ahsoka began to explain while Din sat by a rock. "Someone took him from the Temple. Then his memory becomes… dark. He seemed lost. Alone. I’ve only known one other being like this. A wise Jedi Master named Yoda."
Din intently listened to every word Ahsoka had just daid. The child, on the other hand, was focused on the ground as he cooed.
"Can he still wield the Force?"
"You mean his powers?"
"The Force is what gives him his powers. It is an energy field created by all living things. To wield it takes a great deal of training and discipline."
"I’ve seen him do things I can’t explain. My task was to bring him to a Jedi."
"The Jedi Order fell a long time ago."
"So did the Empire, yet it still hunts him. He needs your help."
Ahsoka Tano let out a sharp sigh, her eyes on Grogu.
"Let him sleep. I’ll test him in the morning."
*¨༺ ༻¨*˙
GROGU REFUSED TO EXHIBIT his abilities with the Force to Ahsoka. He only stood at the rock, not interested with lifting the small one Ahsoka was handing to him through the use of the force.
"He’s hidden his abilities to survive over the years. Let’s try something else. Come over here." Ahsoka states.
"He’s stubborn."
"Not him." Ahsoka turned to look at the Mandalorian. "You. I want to see if he’ll listen to you."
It took a moment before Din let out an internal sigh and made his eay to where Ahsoka stood.
"That would be a first."
"I like firsts. Good or bad, they’re always memorable." Ahsoka remarked and somehow, Din felt a sharp pain in his heart. "Now, hold the stone out in the palm of your hand. Tell him to lift it up."
"All right, kid. Lift the stone."
"Grogu." Ahsoka corrected.
"Grogu…"
The child cooed.
"Come on, take the stone."
A few seconds later, Grogu still refused.
"You see? I told you, he’s stubborn." Din grunted and threw the stone away.
"Try to connect with him."
The Mandalorian stared at Grogu for a moment before an idea finally popped into his mind. He took the small metal ball from his side, lifting it with his hand.
"Grogu…" Din lured Grogu, slowly kneeling at the ground. "Do you want this? Well, go ahead. That’s right, take it. Come on. You can have it. Come on."
Within a blink of an eye, the metal ball quickly landed onto Grogu's hand. He used the force.
"Good job! Good job, kid. You see that? That’s right." Din stod up and walked to where the child was. "I knew you could do it. Very good."
"He’s formed a strong attachment to you." Ahsoka stated. "I see, not only you but a woman as well."
This caught the Mandalorian's attention. He immediately turned to see Ahsoka already observing the two of them.
"You have lost something--no. You have lost someone." Ahsoka's eyes shifted from Grogu to Din. "She...told Grogu that she was sorry for breaking her promise to you. For leaving you."
Gorgu's ears fell while Din's eyes suddenly took interest on the ground. Hearing what the Jedi had just said only kept shattering his heart. It was just too much.
Ahsoka took a deep sigh.
"I cannot train him."
"What? Why not? You’ve seen what he can do." Din stood up.
"His attachment to you makes him vulnerable to his fears. His anger. He does not want to lose you as well. Not when he had already lost someone else."
This caught Din offguard and yet, he continued to argue.
"All the more reason to train him."
"No. I’ve seen what such feelings can do to a fully trained Jedi Knight. To the best of us. I will not start this child down that path. Better to let his abilities fade. I’ve delayed too long. I must get back to the village."
Ahsoka turned her back to the Mandalorian and the child. She began to walk away.
"The Magistrate sent me to kill you."
With those words, the Jedi stopped on her tracks.
*¨༺ ༻¨*˙
AERYN MAVEK STOOD IN FRONT of a crimson metal door with determination flowing through her veins.
She was in great pain and yet she was eager to find answers. If not answers, she was at least hoping to find some enlightenment with one of the creatures she trusted the most.
It was not easy to leave everything behind. It was not easy to leave your family behind especially when they were all you had for a very long time.
It was difficult for Aeryn to let go of Din and that was why for hours, her heart continuosly shattered. Her world continuously crumbled.
The crimson door suddenly opened and yes, it was still an automatic door. Only this time, she did not fall face first nor was she the one who opened it.
"Took you long enough." a familiar female voice suddenly spoke.
Aeryn's eyes lingered at the awfully familiar short, orange creature standing right in front of her. She still had a wide, round face and the extremely huge glasses she wore the last time Aeryn visited.
"Maz," Aeryn marvelled and her arms were suddenly wrapped around Maz Kanata's small body.
"It's been long, Aeryn." Maz hugged Aeryn back. "Did you find Din Djarin?"
The violet-eyed girl couldn't help but feel defeated, once again. It was as if all the agonizing pain and suffering she had felt a few hours prior had returned to her. She felt weak and yet, no tears left her eyes. She had cried all her tears already.
"I see." Maz whispered and let go of Aeryn.
The orange creature took a moment to look at Aeryn's violet eyes and gently held both of her hands.
"Come on. I know you have questions."
Maz Kanata led Aeryn to a table where they can at least have their own privacy.
The castle, as always, was filled with a variety of creatures. Music and indistinct chattering filled the air as many gambled while others just either ate or talked.
It was just like how it was the first time Aeryn was here.
"What happened?" Maz asked as she took a seat opposite to Aeryn.
"I found Din and you were right. The child really helped." Aeryn began. "But I...left them."
"That's quite ironic, I'll give you that."
Aeryn's eyes fell onto the wooden table in front of her. It was filled with fruits but none of it took her attention. She was too occupied with her own sorrow.
"But knowing you, Aeryn. You wouldn't do something as...brave as that for no particular reason." Maz's eyes observed Aeryn carefully. "You wouldn't just leave someone to whom you spent most of your life searching for. What happened?"
A deep sigh escaped Aeryn's lips before finally gathering all her remaining courage. She looked right into Maz Kanata's eyes, reluctant.
"I...The Empire wants me. They want me because they say that I'm...something--that I'm someone important." Aeryn tried hr best to explain but it was as if her own train of thought betrayed her. "A memory came back to me and it was from when I was still in Moff Gideon's care."
"What is it?"
Aeryn hesitated for a moment.
"He told me I was a part of the hidden followers of the truth. That I was valuable to them."
Moments have passed and yet, Maz did not speak. Her eyes stared without a particular thing to focus at. It was like she was lost in her own thoughts.
Aeryn let out a short, sharp sigh off defeat.
"I knew it was all nonsense. I'm truly sorry for wasting--"
"The Jensaarai."
Maz finally spoke, stopping Aeryn from leaving.
"They are the hidden followers of the truth and I see, you are one of them." Maz's eyes were focused on Aeryn as if she was observing every part of her. "Believe me, that explains a lot."
"A lot? How?" her eyebrows furrowed.
Maz grabbed two empty metal cups and a large bottle of spotchka. She carefully placed it in front of the two of them and began pouring some.
"You see, not every Force-sensitive beings use them as how the Jedi do. Not all of them are able to hone their skills and display its powers to others nor actually use them in battle." Maz explained, lightly pushing the cup of spotchka to Aeryn. "Just so it happens, you are one of them."
Aeryn reached for the cup and took a sip from it.
"Maybe you don't know hoe to use the force but Aeryn, you are one with it." Maz intently looked at Aeryn. "You may not see it but the Force had always been with you. It is your birthright to become a Jensaarai."
Aeryn's mind was clouded. She couldn't understand what Maz was talking about and it seemed to he rthat the more she tries to learn about herself, it all just gets worse.
"I don't understand, Maz. I'm not even sure what the Jensaarai are. How could it possibly be my birthright to become one of them?"
"Have you ever heard of Luke Skywalker?"
Aeryn's eyebrows furrowed. Maz, however, did not leave Aeryn's violet eyes.
"He is the legendary Jedi who fought the Empire. Luke Skywalker is the reason why the dark side of the force was dedeated." she paused, taking a sip from her drink. "There have always been two sides of the force. Thos who walk in the path of light are the Jedi while the ones who walk in the path of darkness are the Sith."
Maz Kanata picked a fruit from one of the plates and handed it to Aeryn.
"Then there was the Jensaarai. They refused to take a side. They learned the ways of the Sith as well as the Jedi but they were part of neither. At least, not anymore for a long time now but that was the reason for their hiding."
"Hiding?"
"They were once fooled by the Sith but now, they are aware of all truth. They are afraid that once they reveal themselves to the world, the Jedi or the Sith will return to wipe them out from existence." Maz explained further and took another sip of her drink. "That is why you're important to them, Aeryn. Not only them but to Moff Gideon and the Empire too. Once the Jensaarai have you back, you can be one of their leaders for it is your birthright and if the Empire have you back,"
Maz Kanata paused, lifting her cup halfway to her lips.
"If the Empire has me, what will happen?"
"Then I'm afraid they will be able to have a valuable protector. They might use your existence against the Jensaarai and have the whole order side with them."
"But how is it my birthright?"
Maz raised both of her eyebrows at the curious girl. She can see right through her violet eyes. Maz can see that she was lost, in pain, and suffering. Her violet eyes told Maz a lot.
"Your parents were one of them. That was why you were hiding in that planet where the Empire attacked."
Aeryn fell on her seat in defeat. It was as if everything around her ceased to exist. She could her nothing but Maz's words repating in her head over and over again.
It was all too much.
"Aeryn," Maz snapped Aeryn out to reality. She placed her hand on top of Aeryn's, caressing it. "Do not let the fear consume you. You are strong enough. Fight."
"I--" a single tear escaped from Aeryn's eyes and all at once, her emotions took over her. "I-I'm not strong enough. I-I n-no longer have Din by my side. He probably loathes me now and--and--"
The violet-eyed girl paused, catching her breath. Tears streamed down her face and Maz couldn't do anything but watch as the girl was consumed by her own pain.
"I can't do this without him."
Aeryn's voice was a fragile as withered glass. It almost seemed like you can break her with just a single poke. She was just...broken.
Maz Kanata gently placed her hand onto Aeryn's cheek, peircing her eyes right onto hers.
"You can, Aeryn." she whispered sternly to the girl. "You can and you exactly know what you have to do. You are strong enough."
With Maz Kanata's words, Aeryn was able to snap out of her agony. She figured that she did not come this far onyl to come this far. She had left Din and the child for their own safety and she was not letting that to be put into waste.
Aeryn finally knew exactly what she needed to do.
Then the two were suddenly interrupted by a male Twi'lek walking to their table. He looked anxious, fidgeting from where he stood.
"Maz, Master Skywalker is looking for you."
*¨༺ ༻¨*˙
now that i think of it, Aeryn and Din had come a long way.
thank you for reading, i hope you liked it, and stay safe! stay awesome!
-starr
[ᵐⁱⁿᵒʳ ᶜʰᵃⁿᵍᵉˢ ᵃᶠᵗᵉʳ ⁶⁻⁸ ʰᵒᵘʳˢ ᵒᶠ ᵘᵖˡᵒᵃᵈⁱⁿᵍ.]
[ᵗ'ʷᵃˢ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖᵃʳᵗ ʷʰᵉʳᵉ ᴬʰˢᵒᵏᵃ ᵗᵒˡᵈ ᴰⁱⁿ ᵗᵒ ᵍᵒ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵗʳʸ ᵗᵒ ᵐᵃᵏᵉ ᴳʳᵒᵍᵘ ʳᵉᵗᵘʳⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ʳᵒᶜᵏ.]