• Strong •
"Finally!" Fives said as he watched Athena come into focus in the distance. His eyes widened once he truly saw her. "Wow." He said once she had walked up to him. He noticed the purple gown and his eyes wondered all over her in the new outfit, specifically the low neckline. "You look..." "my eyes are up here, Fives." She said with a small grin and Fives chuckled nervously. "Sorry." He muttered. "It's just you - you look like-" "like a princess?" Athena joked, teasing at the name he usually used for her. Fives took her hand in his. "No. Like a queen." Athena blushed as she brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face. "So?" Fives said as he turned to face her. "What happened? Did you find out anything?" Athena squeezed his hand in hers as she sighed. "I got to talk with my mother." "You did? That's great!" "She told me death is my gift, the curse of the angels." "Okay so that's not so great." It was hard for Fives to be positive about such a statement. But he did his best. He gave her a half smile. "That makes two of us Cyar'ika." "What?" "Princess, I'm a soldier. My job is to serve something greater then me no matter the cost. If I am to die for the republic then so be it. I have one job and that's it. I don't get a choice." Athena looked away from his eyes. "But what if it were different?" She said, her voice sounded pained and small. "What are you talking about?" Fives asked, he looked at her with narrowed eyes and his voice was every bit skeptical. "What if we didn't return to Coruscant? We could start a new life just us and our future. No pledging ourselves to something greater then us. We can chose our destinies, Fives. No one has to tell us what to do. This is our chance to change our fate. Are you just going to let that slip away?" Five's eyes softened. He could tell she wanted this so badly, to break away. She had just witnessed Ahsoka leave the order and now she wanted to as well. But Fives just couldn't. He couldn't leave his brothers, his cause. "Athena," he said and held both of her small hands in his. "I love you, but leaving the Republic is something I just cannot do. I can't leave my brothers, your brothers. I'm not a deserter and neither are you." "But-" "no, Athena." She was trembling and the use of her name broke her. She collapsed into his arms, sobbing against him. "I'm so afraid." She said and looked up to him. "I just started a new life, Fives. I don't want to die." He cupped her cheek with his hand. "No one wants to die, Cyar'ika." "I'm so scared." "And you think I'm not?" "Fives..." "the thought of what could happen to me, what could happen to my brothers, what could happen to you terrifies me. But I have to be strong. We all do. We have to keep going. Strong is hard and it's fighting and it's every single day but we have to be brave and you have to live. For me, okay, Cyar'ika?" Athena smiled softly up at the clone. A soft giggle left her lips. "Stars, I love you." "I know." Fives said and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I love me too, it's hard not to." Athena giggled. "Fives!"
"Aw" a foreign voice caused the two to instantly look up at who intruded on them. "How sweet. Mazel tov for the happy couple." "Kali" Athena hissed and bitter expression washed over her face. "Heyyy Athena." She said as she stumbled towards the two. "Kali?" Athena said as she took in the disheveled sight that was her friend. "What happened to you?" Athena asked. Kali's hair was a mess, her pale skin was much more pale than usual, and dark bags hung under her crystal blue eyes. "He has spoken to me." Kali said, sauntering towards them. "He who?" Athena asked, her expression became stern as her eyes trained on her former friend. Kali laughed, but it wasn't a laugh Athena had heard from her in her entire time of knowing her. Kali's laugh sounded deranged and pained. "The voices. You feel it too. I know you do." Kali said. "What is she talking about?" Fives asked as he looked at Athena who only looked horrified. "They sent me here. He told me to kill you. To make you bleed. To show you no quarter." Kali stepped closer before giggling again. "I'm just kidding." She said, "that's not what they really said." Her psychotic smile widened. "He wants both of you dead."