•°. *࿐FORCE BOUND.
vii. FORCE BONDS
❛ look inside of me and see that i am not afraid /
to walk inside the void like a kid inside a cave. ❜
CREATURE // HALF•ALIVE
STAYING TRUE TO HIS WORD, Master Plo sent both Sinker and Boost to come and collect Eisha in the morning; offering her with the comedic relief she desperately needed after such an awful day. The boys' banter brought her much joy and seemed to be able to consistently boil her down to a fit of giggles.
"You know, that's the fifth time this week you've brought up cannibalising me, Boost. Should I be worried?"
"With how badly you stink, Sinks? I wouldn't worry about it."
Yeah. It was safe to say she was well-distracted.
Plus, she was reunited with Mr. Kitty. She was perfectly content for now, with the loth-cat indecisive of whose shoulders were better for sleeping: hers or Sinkers.
As they approached the hanger — giggling at the boys' incessant jokes and tricks — Eisha missed the soft expression that rested upon Wolffe's face; falling as quickly as it landed there, instead replaced by a deep scowl. However, she was soon interrupted in her quest to hold back her laughter by her new Master.
"I see your friends found you well, Little One," Unbeknownst to Eisha, Plo was grinning widely, her Force presence quickly becoming one Plo enjoyed; relishing in the new bond both Padawan and Master now shared.
"Yes, and koh-to-yah, Master Plo!" Kindly she greeted, wishing to impress her Master, having learnt a few phrases from his home planet's language late last night.
Plo's smile widened from under his mask, but what Eisha didn't know was that her Master had done the exact same; wanting to comfort his Padawan within the changes around her, "Koh-to-yah, to you too my young Padawan, and Shwmae."
Her smile, if possible, widened upon hearing the familiar greeting — not many spoke Vashunse anymore. It made her smile nonetheless and comforted the Padawan immediately.
"So," Eisha began. "Where are we going then, Master?" Bouncing on the balls of her feet, she walked alongside the Kel Dor. Easily fitting into the new dynamic, the company she had previously craved was quenched.
Turning to her, he grinned, "The Council have assigned us a mission, Little One. I'll explain on the way. But, firstly," He directed his attention to her belt. "Where is your lightsaber, my Padawan?"
Cheeks burning red in embarrassment, she recalled the memory, sheepishly gazing down at her feet, "I broke it in a training accident. The kyber split and my old Master never replaced it..." Trailing off, she gazed back up at her Master, her nose lightly scrunched.
"And, where are these split crystals now?" With a newfound interest, his brows raised.
Reaching into her shirt, she delicately brought forward a leather string necklace. There, delicately dangling on the end, was a chipped, indigo kyber crystal; glistening in the light that it rarely saw.
His brow furrowed, "Where is the other half, Little One?"
"With a friend," Quickly quipping, she averted her gaze.
"May I see it?"
Cautiously, Eisha removed the necklace, handing it to her Master who studied it, "When a crystal like this splits, it becomes Force bound to its twin. Did you know that, Little One?"
"Yes."
"But, do you know the extent to the power they hold? Twin kyber crystals like this used to be used all the time, mostly as means of interaction between families. Although, the use stopped a few hundred years ago." Pausing, he observed the kyber, "The twin crystals allow communication through Force flow, and as long as it holds its colour—" He gestured to the swirling indigo, gently tapping it, "—It means the other twin user is still alive."
Eisha's eyes sprung wide.
He was alive?
'He's alive.'
Grinning widely, she took back the necklace, "Thank you, Master." He was alive, and that thought brought her a beautiful notion.
Hope.
-
"Here," Grinning, Eisha handed over the cracked, indigo crystal dangling on the leather string.
"What is it?" The young Wolffe stared curiously, accepting the crystal and cradling it carefully in his calloused hands. After all, anything Eisha showed him was very important to the young teen.
"It's a present, silly!" She watched the boy's face attentively, "Do you like it?"
'Like it?'
Wolffe was astounded. He loved it! He had never received something so beautiful before.
Beautiful much like the girl that gave it to him. The kindness and love that Eisha Ree held in her heart were unfathomable.
To him, Eisha was beautiful. Both inside, and out.
"Yes, I love it, Eisha. Thank you," The boy smiled widely at her, grateful for such a lovely gift, "But, what is it?".
"It's my lightsaber!"
"Your what?!" Wolffe bellowed, attracting attention to the young teen and girl.
"My lightsaber." She repeated with a grin, "It's a kyber crystal, Wolffie. They're what makes my lightsaber — well — a lightsaber! It's like a kind of powerful Force stone." Explaining to the young clone, before continuing, "I kind of broke it, making the kyber crystal snap, but my Master said it still works. Just split into two halves now, instead of one."
His eyes widened, "Eishi, this is too precious. I don't deserve this, I'm just another clone—"
"Don't be so silly! You're my best friend, Wolffie! Plus, we get matching halves now; we can have friendship necklaces!" Claiming excitedly, she reached for her own glowing indigo, chipped kyber crystal, that hang proudly around her neck.
Looking curiously at the two halves, Wolffe noticed how they shone brighter the closer together they came.
"They're Force bound to each other; their power and Force signature grow stronger when the other is close. Like us!"
"Yeah. Like us," Wolffe replied, a gentle smile gracing his lips as he continued to admire his angelic friend; continuing to talk amiably about the apparent Force powers in the crystals.
He hung onto every word...
-
"...And, we'll have to get you a new lightsaber," Her Master's mutterings brought her astray from her memory, and back to the present; her Master staring expectantly.
"Y—yes, Master. That sounds...good?"
She hadn't been listening for a second.
Shaking his head dismissively at the girl's confused words, he sighed, "Come along, Little One. We have much to do."
FIRST PUBLISHED: 12/01/2021
LAST EDITED: 05/02/2023