I want to apologize for the ridiculously long wait. Several things have happened over the year, not all of them good so my equilibrium has been out of whack and just couldn't focus on anything. That said, the next chapter (fingers crossed), hopefully won't take quite as long. There were a few comments in the last chapter that will be addressed later in the story (btw, thank you for bringing that up lolistarkiller), and thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story so far. They really do brighten up my day. Now, I did cut a paragraph so I have a half decent sag way to the next part which is why this chapter is shorter than the others.
Anyone wondering about my other works: I'm hoping to update them soon. So, onto the story!
Ezra walked away from Luke and his guardians in deep thought. She couldn't help but wonder if she's in over her head right now and is kicking herself for the mistakes she's done. Tatooine doesn't seem to abide by the same rules that Lothal does, her first mistake. Her second is being arrogant and way too cocky. Everyone on Lothal knew she was Vizago's girl and therefore couldn't be touched since he could crush those who did within days. The problem was that the protection was only to her, and no one else connected to her. She didn't know that until after it happened and nearly strangled Vizago for it. Ezra shook her head, trying to get rid of the unpleasant memories it brought back. Now, how to get back to the Ghost…She still has her comm and hopes that it's working but from not hearing it beep at all, she must have crushed it from her fall or being slammed against the wall. She needs one for her wrist, it's official now.
Gritting her teeth, Ezra made her way back through the slave quarters, taking in the silence from everyone and not seeing a soul. It made the force unsettling and wanted to scratch at the itch it was now giving her. She sped up her walking, wanting to get away from all of this before she starts running. Her senses on high alert, she feels like she's prey out here. The low buildings with the tall ledges makes for perfect sniper positions and with it starting to get dark out…she was so screwed if she's caught out here at night. Her deep blue eyes flicker to all corners and places that can be used to jump someone. That smuggler might have something to do with the sniper attack from earlier. She's seen people be killed for less in the back streets of Lothal, and in the open and desolate fields the planet holds. Shivering slightly Ezra looked around and cursed in her head for the fact that everything looks the same to her. "Damn it," she breathed as she came to another dead end. Taking out her comm, she wanted to throw it on the ground after seeing the cracked screen and the torn wire from a piece that stuck out and seemed to have cut right through it.
"Just great." She said sarcastically. "Now what am I going to do?" Wandering around was much too dangerous and her feeling like prey was not helping matters at all. "Fine mess you're in Bridger. Now they'll never let you go on your own." She nearly wilted at the fact her freedom can be revoked from this. It wasn't her fault this time though! She didn't do it on purpose, it was a riot! If you really want to get trampled, go against the flow, what a good way to get broken bones! Gritting her teeth, she clenched a fist and kept moving.
Walking from what felt like hours between the look alike buildings, Ezra found the arena again. She felt a tendril of something brush against her mind. Paying it no heed she felt the force scream in her head, dropping when she felt the heat from a blaster bolt nearly graze her head and quickly dove for cover. "Dammit!" Taking out her blaster she held it up and waited. When no other sounds happened she peeked around the corner and saw nothing. "Brilliant." She deadpanned to herself. Deciding to leave, she stood up and turned around before scrambling backwards when a fist came flying towards her. Two bulky aliens stood in front of her. "Okay, I really did piss him off," she said faintly. She lunged to the left as bits of flying rock came back to her from the blaster shot.
Ezra got on her hands and tried to sweep the one's feet from under them. When that didn't work she scurried behind him before jumping up and using all her strength to kick him in the back of the one knee. So busy with the one she couldn't dodge the fist that came towards her. Gasping as she went flying, Ezra hit the ground before rolling to a stop. Coughing and getting on her forearms, she got up on her shaking feet and decided it'll be better to run right now. Looking straight at them, she made a run for it as the two aliens followed her. Hoping that there'll be no more snipers. Ezra tried to remember where she first came from that morning.
Looking around she feels like that was the right bar they were in. With the suns setting quickly, her panic built more quickly. Gritting her teeth while sucking in harsh breaths, Ezra nearly tripped over her feet she heard a blaster from behind her and a red bolt flying beside her. "Won't you give up?" She asked in exasperation. Her mind raced. The two aliens were gaining quickly on her so an all-out fight is inevitable but how to even the playing field? Ezra's gaze turned upwards to the roof tops and the side stairs to them. A small smile graced her face. 'That should work.' Making a sharp turn Ezra leapt up to the stairs before scrambling up them and jumped a few roof tops before stopping to try and get her bearings. The sunset and darkening sky told Ezra she needs to be fast, but what to do? Looking around she looks at all the buildings that all look the same before spotting a couple large areas that have no roof. 'That must be where the ships are.' Running and jumping the rooftops…should be within ten minutes. The silence started to get to the girl who shook her head from paranoia before taking off. Feeling the rush of adrenaline brought a smile to the girl's face as she kept an eye on her goal. 'Almost there.' She leapt from the rooftop and nearly touched the next one when something wrapped around her ankle and pulled her down.
Ezra couldn't help the startled scream as she plummeted towards the ground. Flying to the ground, Ezra felt the ground hit her while stars entered her vision and the inability to breath. Her chest heaved but no air got in. Ezra gasped in a mouthful of air when her brain started to work again. Trying to get up on her knees, a kick had her flat on her stomach. Grimacing in pain she did an awkward roll away and got up on shaking feet. Back against the wall, she took out her blasters and held them up. The two aliens grinned before they dropped them when she fired both off towards them. Only their good timing had them avoid being skewed. Ezra clenched her jaw as pain shot up her leg. 'Small strain, I can still run with that,' she thought to herself. Righting herself up against the wall, Ezra made a mad dash towards the ship port, praying that she's in the right area. Looking behind her, she didn't notice the stone her foot tripped over, sending her tumbling to the ground. Wide eyes stared back as they were almost on her when blaster shots from in front of her went off. Her head whipped around and sagged in relief.
Kanan stood in front of her, grim face with his blaster out. The aliens (with one clutching their arm), was about to thunder up to them when the rest of the crew came into view with Zeb holding his bo-rifle with a menacing smile. The two aliens looked at each other and left, knowing that a little girl was nothing to die over. Kanan watched the two aliens run away. His eyes held contempt and disgust with those two low life's. Looking down at his apprentice, she was covered in sand dust with scrapped hands as shaking arms tried to haul herself up. He held out a hand to help her out and saw the contemplated look on her face but ultimately got herself up. Torn pants and the favouring of one leg…what did she get up to? He can't yell at her too much since Sabine rushed to them in a panic after they caught up, saying that they got separated in the crowd and immediately went out looking for her but couldn't find the young teenager. After searching for over an hour, Hera kept trying her comm but only got static, even after Sabine tweaked it to boost the signal. So either it was off, Ezra was ignoring it or it was broken. No one wanted to admit it but the cynical girl has grown on them and to be lost on Tatooine of all places…now about four hours later she shows up with a couple thugs chasing her. Kanan immediately raced out after hearing a young girl's scream along with the force yelling at him to hurry up. Relief flooded him even with her banged up state. "What took you so long?" He demanded to know.
Ezra immediately felt defensive. "I'm sorry, I wasn't suicidal to go against the bloody crowd." She said in annoyance. "Ran into someone who was also lost so we walked back to his speeder." Kanan's mind screeched to a halt when he heard the word he. He didn't hear the rest of Ezra's babbling until he felt big blue eyes staring at him. "It wasn't my fault!" She immediately declared from seeing the looks. "Let's get back to the ship so you can get cleaned up and we'll see about repairing those pants of yours." Hera said. Ezra just nodded and followed. Zeb slowed his pace so he walked nearly side by side with Ezra. "You had everyone worried kid." He said lowly. Ezra just nodded.
"I didn't know." She said equally low. She honestly didn't think she mattered so much that they'd be worried about her enough to look for hours. They continued to walk back to the Ghost in silence.
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Ezra took the needle and thread, grumbling why the hole has to be so small. With her pants in her lap and wearing a shirt and old ratty pants, Ezra looked on at the planet that they'll be taking off from. It was pretty dark now and Hera decided that they'll leave first thing in the morning to not arouse suspicion. Ezra just wanted to fix her clothes and rest her ankle. It should be fine in the morning as long as she doesn't push it for the next day or so. The sewing was mind numbing enough while needing her full concentration at the same time as she's not good at this sort of thing. Tongue poking out, Ezra sewed the tear back up.
Kanan watched from the door as Ezra's full concentration was solely on the sewing which he found slightly amusing. A triumphant cry jolted him from his thoughts as Ezra held up the pants. Jagged stitches closed the tear. A person can easily tell that someone with no skill did this, but Kanan made no move to mention this. Instead he decided to hold off on the lecture for the night as everyone's exhaustion was apparent.
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Ezra looked back on the planet, a niggling feeling in her mind that she'll see it again. For good or ill she doesn't know. Maybe she'll see this Luke again. 'That will be nice,' She thought to herself. Clutching her credits, she stuffed it in where her datapads and ration bars hid in the panel beside her head. Ezra's hand itched for it and just wanted to hold it. "Maybe I'll grab it when we're back on Lothal." She whispered to herself. Getting up to grab something to eat, Chopper nearly knocked into her before wheeling around her, determined to get somewhere. Ezra just watched him leave before continuing to her breakfast as Hera guided them off the planet. She idly wondered about Luke and his moisture farm and that he's probably up by now. Grabbing something to eat, Ezra walked around in her black leather pants and white shirt, not wanting to wear her jump suit right now while holding her comm, about to take it apart to see what else is wrong with it. They weren't leaving the ship so she left it off. She mentally grimanced when Kanan came in, bracing herself for the lecture that is surely to come.
Kanan looked at Ezra who tensed up at him and glanced down to her comm. 'That explains a few things.' He thought. He sat down across from Ezra who tensed even further and looked like she was ready to run. "This was one of the bigger riots I've seen." Kanan started. Ezra looked at him in confusion. "Going against the crowd. I've seen what happens to people who do try." Ezra gave a cautious look. "So…you're not going to lecture?" She hesitated on the last word. What she was going to say, Kanan doesn't know. "I can now see that your comm is broken."
"Need one for my wrist." She muttered. Kanan continued, "but that still doesn't explain why you were missing for six hours."
"That's how long I was gone for?" He heard a bit of surprise in her voice. Kanan nodded. Ezra sat back. "I ran into a farm boy who was separated from his family in the riot and since I was pretty much lost as well and the riot was allowing other unsavoury people do business, I decided to get out of the area. It seemed like a good idea at the time to help find his family." Kanan gave her a scrutinizing look. "And now?" Ezra just shrugged. "Still a good idea." Kanan had a weary look on his face at the answer. Her behaviour doesn't make any sense at all. Not from what he knows of street living. "You know that actions have consequences." Ezra's face darkened. "Trust me Kanan, I know exactly that. If that's all?" Kanan nodded and Ezra got up and left. Kanan sighed while rubbing his eyes. What will it take to get her to open up?
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Ezra was getting antsy and jumpy. She needed to go for a run or have some quiet time to herself. But Lothal won't be there to help right now. Being stuck in space does have downsides. The two creeps from Tatooine opened up a small can of worms that Ezra did not want to think about right now. "Ezra." Ezra looked up and saw Kanan standing in front of her, staring down at her. "Everything alright?"
"It's fine." She said stiffly. Kanan gave a soft scoff. "You're bouncing on your feet right now." Ezra had to consciously stop but it just proved Kanan's point. "It feels like I'm confined to my tower." She whined. Kanan cocked an eyebrow. "Come on, let's go meditate and see if that helps." He would rather suffer meditation with an unruly Ezra than listen to hollering that will be guaranteed to happen soon. Ezra just nodded, knowing that it'll kill time, but at the same time it will be hard to keep still.
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Hera sighed as she readied herself before the ship dropped from hyperspace. 'Just can't go anywhere with the kids.' She thought fondly. Leaning back in her seat, Hera drummed her fingers on the armrest waiting. "How much longer in hyperspace?" Kanan asked. Hera looked behind her. "Not too much longer, why?" Kanan had a slightly pained look on his face. "Ezra?"
"She needs to burn some energy. I feel her emotions and how high strung she's getting."
"Meditation?" Hera suggested. Kanan shook his head. "Worked for about twenty minutes but that's it."
"Well it won't be too much longer, then we can land the ship and Ezra can go run around." Kanan said nothing and watched as space came back into view as the ship dropped from hyperspace. "We can always go to the capital."
"Sounds fine." Hera said distractedly. The two sat in silence until Hera directed her ship towards the outskirts of the Capital. Ezra came bounding in. "Don't go too far." Hera said in anticipation to her question. Ezra beamed and raced off the ship, Kanan's weary gaze following her.
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"Come on kid, what's the rush?"
"Too jumpy right now." Ezra replied to Zeb as she all but bounced out of the ship. Zeb rolled his eyes and shook his head but followed her anyway. Chopper and Sabine followed at a slower and steadier pace. Ezra couldn't help but grin, taking in the vast plains. She just hopes that this peace she's feeling at that moments lasts for at least the day, that's all she asks. Taking in the fresh air, Ezra gave a small, genuine smile.
It also doesn't help I've been on an anime binge since this summer. I loved Steins;Gate, Wolf's Rain and Death Parade (FMA is a given). Rouroni Kenshin is...interesting, so far as 90's anime shows go (Kyoto arc looks exciting so far). Anyway, I hope I'll have the next chapter up soon whether before or after I see Last Jedi, no idea. Peace out!