Star Wars and RWBY are not my personal works. All rights owned belong to LucasFilm Ltd., and Rooster Teeth. This work exclusively exists as a passion project and a celebration of two phenomenal worlds.

"You cannot hide forever, Luke."

Darth Vader stalked the landing beneath the platform of the Second Death Star's throne room, searching for his son. Had he been told that fate would lead them to cross blades with one another, father against son, he'd have told the messenger he was daft. Stars, had he even been told his son was alive just 4 years ago, he would have choked the person to death on the spot for sharing such a cruel joke to his face. Yet here his son stood before him, or at least he should be. Were he not hiding himself away in the dark.

"I will not fight you, Father."

Luke called back. His voice was calm and steady, but his fear of the violence awaiting them both rang true. Against what Vader could only imagine to be the advice of everyone of his allies, his son had come to convince him to bring himself back to the light. To free him. To save him. Just like her.

'He is so much like you, dear.' Vader thought to himself, a feeling vaguely akin to pride began to well in him, before he stuffed it back down the dark pit where his heart had once been. There was no place for that here.

He wasn't blind, he knew what the dark side had costed him. His wife, his family, his body, his very identity. He threw them all away in a vain attempt to prevent his wife and children's demise, and all he had to show for it was his wife's tomb, a shattered body being held together by the galaxy's most ironically punitive battle armor, and a broken promise to raise their children together. But it was all he had left, and after Padme died with their children, nothing else really mattered. He had lost his will to live, and subsequently his ability to care for the consequences of his actions. For many in the early years of it's reign, the Empire, with Vader as it's enforcer, had brought many things. Hope; Fear; Security; Tyranny; Stability; Autocracy. For Vader, it had brought nothing but suffering.

But things had come to pass. After several decades, rebellion had swept the galaxy, and with it a conflict that began as isolated insurrections, had conflagurated into outright civil war. Vader could have predicted much of the conflict's underpinings, there were plenty of enough fools who'd grow angry enough at Palpatine's shock doctrine tactics to believe that reviving a corrupt system like the Old Republic was a preferable alternative. What he couldn't predict was the discoveries that this rebellion would lead him to. Padme's offspring had not perished. In fact not only was he alive, but he had grown into an accomplished warrior in his own right. Not only had his master lied to him about his children's survival, but kept the dark lord from discovering him until he had already joined the fight against his own father. If only he had found the boy sooner. If only they could have fought alongside each other…

There was no time to contemplate what ifs, not when he needed his focus in the moment. As of the moment, the only things that mattered was himself, his son, and Palpatine. No matter their differences, he and his son could both agree on one thing: Palpatine must die. For the sake of the galaxy, their family, and every person who had suffered as a result of this pointless and catastrophic war and the war that it followed, the sith lord who dubbed himself Darth Sidious must perish. The only problem was, no matter how he looked at it, only 1 man was going to be able to leave this throne room alive. As much as he wanted to believe otherwise elsewise, he knew deep down he would not be able to bring himself to to kill Luke. Not after that day on Mustafar, not after seeing his son willingly attempt suicide over joining him, not again. What's more he knew he did not have the strength to face Palpatine alone, and with the threat of his son removed, it would only be a matter of time before the Emperor disposed of him too in search of fresher blood. Only his son would be capable of carrying the task of seeing the great manipulator succumb to the fate the Empire had casted many of it's damned souls to.

However, Luke was not ready to face the Emperor. Though strong in the Force was he, and exceedingly quick to learn, the boy was still barely at a level comparable to where Vader himself was at the beginning of the Clone Wars. It would be beyond foolish for him to face the Emperor on even ground, and if Luke was any bit as stubborn as his parents, his foolish faith in the Jedi ways to protect him was going to get him killed. If he was to defeat Palpatine, he needed to be able to overwhelm the Emperor's defenses with sudenty and totality, before the sith lord's greater mastery of the Force could come to bear. There was only one path he'd get the strength needed fast enough to end this conflict.

"Give yourself to the Dark Side. It is the only way to save your friends."

He couldn't help but muse at the irony of his situation. Twenty three years ago he stood in the same position as his son, only the sith lord then was foolish enough to believe the young Vader's rage would unbalance him. Vader had no such illusions. He knew what he was attempting would almost certainly mean the death of him, but it would mean his son would have the strength to lure Palpatine to the grave with him. What's more Luke had the benefit of something no Sith carried with them. Not Palpatine, nor Vader himself in years: Compassion. He could see now Luke was too much like his mother to let the Dark Side rob him of that essential part of him completely. He could grow to be strong, decisive, and uncompromising; As any Sith should be. However, he would also be kind, empathetic, and understanding as well. In time he would master the Dark Side, and use its power to bring the Galaxy back to order, but he would never allow himself to be so foolish as to adopt his Master's delusions of rule by fear and terror alone. He could free slaves, put a stop to the discord that Palpatine had encouraged throughout Imperial society, and show the Rebels that their efforts to topple the Empire were a misguided waste of the entire galaxy's resources. Slowly, but surely, he knew his son would be able to mend the Galaxy's wounds, and make the Empire a better place for all of its citizens. Now, he needed the boy to embrace that destiny.

It was at this moment that Vader had opened a door in Luke's mind, as he searched for memories of allies he could use to provoke his son with.

"You're thoughts betray you, son. You're feelings for them are strong, especially for…"

As Vader probed his son's mind, he felt glimpses of a familiar face. It was the princess of Alderaan. A romantic attachment, perhaps? No, it felt different, the bond felt something much more akin to family. Like the one he had shared with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka a lifetime ago. And it ran so much deeper. But that was be impossible, that would make no sense. The only way that such a bond could exist, was if she was his-

"Sister…" behind the mask, Vader's face twitched with intrigue and, to a lesser extent, terror. The young girl he had interrogated on the Death Star, was his daughter. A small part of Vader's being quaked with the desire to throw himself down the reactor shaft as the full ramifications of what his actions towards the princess came to face him. He would not let that voice prevail. Not now. Not when he had been provided a final trump card to get Luke to let go of his self-control.

"So you have a twin sister." Vader continued, as he felt the terror spreading to his son too.

"Obi-Wan was wise to hide her from me. Now his failure was complete." He murmured, his vocator had done a sufficient job of disguising whether he was sneering victoriously or lamenting that his discovery has now likely doomed another member of his family to the manipulations of Sheev Palpatine. He wasn't so certain of the line between them himself. What he was certain of was that the stakes were now so much greater than just his and Luke's survival: His entire bloodline was on the line.

This was it. This would either be the moment Luke either saves the Galaxy and his family, or dooms them all to the Emperor's machinations. Vader knew his son would hate him to his dying for what the dark lord was about to say, and his daughter would never forgive what he has done. But he had long made peace with the fact history would remember him as a villain, and he was prepared to die a villain to even his family's eyes, as long as the man who had stolen everything from him will not rule a day longer. Such was the conviction of Darth Vader.

"If you will not turn to the Dark Side, then… perhaps She will."

"NEVER!" His son roared. His emerald blade sprung to life, as he began delivering a powerful Djem So swing to the dark lord, fully intending to cleave his father across his rib cage. Vader had expected the boy's power to swell, but it was beyond anything that he could have imagined. Every swing his son took may have been little more sophisticated than a reckless street thug with a durasteel pole, but the sheer speed and strength of the boy's blows forced him to step back against his son's onslaught. Vader for the first time in decades, was being driven back. And what feeble attempts at a counterattack he could muster where swiftly parried. As the fight was brought to the elevator bridge, he dodged another one of his son's blows. However he had mistimed his footwork as his movement led him to accidentally step onto his own cape, forcing him to lean on one of the railings for support. But Luke's assault did not seize. He pounced on the Dark Lord's moment of weakness, slamming the crimson blade with a falling avalanche strike over, and over again. It was only the high powered servos of Vader's prosthetics that prevented his sword from falling out of his hand outright, though it meant very little, as Luke finally broke through his defenses and cleaved his saber hand off,shattering the phirken guard rail he was resting on in the process. A cry of shock emerged from Vader as he collapsed onto the floor, defeated by his tormented son.

In the distance, he could hear the Emperor cackling with sadistic euphoria, as Luke held the blade towards his father's throat. This was it. Vader knew this moment was coming. It was just like then, too. He could hear the Emperor goading his son to finish the job, but inside his helmet he smiled too. Sure, his fate was now sealed, but Palpatine would not live long enough to enjoy his victory as he was cleaved along with his apprentice. If all of this was what it took Vader to have his revenge for Padme and himself, he'd die with no regrets. Vader closed his eyes with content, and awaited the final blow. Except the blow he expected never came. Instead as he opened his eyes, he found Luke staring at him, and he back at Luke. Then his son closed his eyes, released his breath, and turned off the lightsaber.

"Never."

Vader watched in shock as his son tossed his lightsaber to the side of the room. What the hell was he doing?

"I'll never turn to the dark side. You failed your highness!"

Luke turned to stare down the emperor, his face filled with newfound determination.

"I am a Jedi, like my father before me."

Those simple words reverberated through the halls, as both Palpatine and Vader stared at the spectre of the boy. Standing in front of him, the naive child who had left Tatooine on a fool's quest to rescue a princess he didn't know all those years ago had vanished. The boy whose spirit was shattered in the crucible that was the fateful duel on Cloud City was gone. In their place, a young Jedi stood before them to defy the Emperor's expectations and Vader's own. What astonished the defeated lord the most however, was the person Luke credited as the man he strived to be. It had not been Yoda, nor Obi-Wan. It was Vader, or at least, the man he used to be. Despite everything he had done to both his son and the galaxy, Luke still strove to live up to the legacy of the man he had once been a lifetime ago. Beyond that, the young boy had succeeded in more ways Vader could have ever hoped to, now or then. For the first time in a very long time, he felt something more than self-loathing and apathy. He felt pride. Genuine pride for the man his son had grown into. Oh how he wished Padme could see what their son had become.

The feeling was short lived, and his blood went cold as the Emperor's rage began to emanate throughout the room. His master was beyond livid at Skywalker's defiance. The boy had humiliated his latest magnum opus, and Vader knew the emperor to be a temperamental maestro. He braced his heart for what comes next to those who disrupt his "masterpiece".

"So be it, Jedi." His master seethed, as he began to raise his hands.

"If you will not be turned, you will be DESTROYED!"

The cry of pain only took mere seconds to elicit as an opening volley of Force Lightning was unleashed upon Luke. The young Skywalker had feebly attempted to put up a Teutomenis defense to protect himself, but inexperience and the raw power of the strike prevented him from developing a sufficient defense. Vader numbly watched in horror as his Master continued to torture his son. His body lifted itself off the ground and moved towards his master, Almost as if the Force itself was commanding it to bear silent witness to his child's demise. Vader felt the dark hole where his heart used to be being stretched and torn in every direction, all the while a voice he had been attempting to suppress began to scream into his head to save his son.

Vader wanted nothing more than to save his son of his torment, but his feet and body were frozen with fear. If he even attempted to stop his Master, Palpatine would destroy his life support with the barrage, and then force Vader to watch him destroy everything he had left to love. For it was not enough for his adversaries to suffer if he was not there to watch them writhe every ounce hope and joy from his victim. Such was the Emperor's cruel sense of vengeance, as Vader had come to know intimately over the past 23 years. And so as the Master tortured the child with devilish delight, and the child begged for his father's safety, Vader could only watch in terror and shame as his child; Padme's child; the last symbol in the galaxy that love had once existed in his heart was snuffed from existence. What little hope had been reborn in his heart had been smothered out.

"Ani, I'm pregnant"

Anakin's mind and face flushed as he heard the words spoken by his beloved wife. His mouth opened and shut as he attempted to find the correct words to express how he felt.

'A child? Now?'

How should he react? What could he say? How should he feel? What did he feel even? Angry? Happy? Scared? Excited? Nervous? It was difficult to say. His emotional state had just been transformed into a whirlpool of confusion by those three simple words.

"Th-That's wonderful. Just- wow." Anakin began to stutter out, before Padme caught him in between words.

"What are we going to do?" Padme asked. Though her voice remained steady, her fear and trepidation were clearly evident on her face.

If Anakin was being honest, he hadn't the faintest clue of what they were going to do either. The council would certainly never accept him if they found out he had fathered a child. Even if he was clueless about a lot of politics, he knew that Padme's career would be jeopardized if anyone found out she was pregnant, much less married. There was so many factors that neither he nor Padme were ready to face yet. So many challenges they weren't prepared to even think about, much less prepare for.

And not single bit of it mattered for Anakin in that moment. Finally finding his words, he spoke:

"W-we aren't going to think about it. This- This is a happy moment."

A genuine smile breaks across his face, as he embraced his wife once more.

"The happiest moment of my life."

And for that simple moment nothing else mattered. Not the war. Not the Jedi, nor the Senate. The Republic, or the Separatists. It was just Padme, Anakin, their love, and the child soon to come. It truly was the happiest moment in his life.

As Vader emerged from his memories, the barrage suddenly stopped, and his son was left to writhe in the after effects of Force Lightning. A sadistic grin crept upon his master's face as he made his final address to the boy.

"And now young Skywalker… You will Die."

The barrage returned with renewed strength, and Luke's suffering was such he no longer could form a coherent response as he howled in agony. Vader looked between the boy and Palpatine, as he remembered why he allowed himself to become Palpatine's beast all those years ago. He had done it to save Luke. To give his child the life fate never allowed himself to enjoy; a family with a mother and father, free from slavery and misery. Instead all he had provided for his son was orphanage upon a desolate wasteland, forced to fight his family to the death in a war that was not of their making, and now to perish at his master's feet.

"Father!"

"No." He had failed to save his mother. He had failed to save Padme. But he would not let Palpatine steal his family from him a second time. He would not let another loved one be buried before him ever again. As anger and apathy gave way to love and familial instincts, His sulfur eyes transformed to piercing blue. Like a phoenix from his ashes, the man who had once been the "Hero with no Fear" had returned once more.

"NOOOOOO!"

Leveraging the strength of his cybernetics, Vader hoisted the emperor over his shoulders, and began to carry the man across the room. Despite Palpatine's inability to align a direct strike at vader with his lightning, Stray bolts had managed to arc into Vader's suit. The pain was excruciating, but Vader soldiered on. His life support was shot, and his joint servos were beginning to spasm violently under the barrage of the electrical storm above him, but adrenaline and determination allowed him to carry his master to the edge of the reactor shaft. Releasing a rapturous roar, Vader heaved the Emperor over the edge, and watched as Palpatine fell to the Death Star's reactor core. A brilliant light burst from the depths of the reactor as a nebulous stream of midi-chlorians enveloped the room, as if it was trying to purge itself of the emperor's remains before they could be corrupted any further. Then as quickly as it had appeared, the clouds began collapsing into the depths of the shaft once more.

It was over.

As the dark lord collapsed onto the railing, he could feel the veil of the Dark Side upon him lift itself, and found himself at peace. He had done it. He had no more masters left. There were no more Hutts that could beat him. No Watto to berate him. No Jedi to chastise him. No Sith to manipulate him. He had himself, and his own free will to choose his life as he desired. At long last, after 49 long years, he was finally free.

No sooner had Vader made this realization did his exhaustion finally overtake him as he felt his form collapsing into his son's arm before he slowly drifted out of conscious.

Vader woke up in a haze, as he felt himself being dragged across the floor. His optical and audio sensors were badly damaged, but it was clear from the sounds of Alarms blaring and panicked men crowding about searching for any TIE or shuttle lying about that he must have been pulled to one of the many hangar bays on the station, and the station itself would soon not be of this world. Good. The universe did not need another one of these monstrosities in its wake. Vader looked upon his son as the boy struggled to carry them both to the shuttle they had arrived at the station on merely an hour before. As he attempted to breath, he found his breath was labored and tiring. His life support had failed. It would only be a matter of time before his time in this world would cease. As his son rested him upon the ramp of the shuttle that had carried them mere hours before, he decided to voice his final request.

"Luke, Help me take... this mask off."

He could see the disbelief on his son's face through the damaged optics his mask was still providing.

"But you'll die."

For the briefest moment, he considered the possibility of listening to his son. If he kept the mask on, he would be able to survive for a few hours longer. Plenty of time for him to receive the medical attention he needed. But then what? The Alliance would never accept him back, not after everything he had done under Palpatine. No, the best he could hope for was a swift trial and humane execution for his crimes. All the while, Luke would be helpless to watch as his friends murdered his father before his very eyes, unable to save him from their wrath. He would not put his son through that, not when the galaxy needed the boy's strength and commitment more than ever.

"Nothing can stop that now. Please, let me see you… with my own eyes."

Vader saw his son slowly nod in solemn acknowledgement of his request as the latter began the process of removing his mask. First came off the armoured helmet which helped to hermetically seal his head from the rest of the world. With even greater apprehension, the boy proceeded to remove the mask, allowing the two to see each other's true face for the first time. Luke was immediately taken by the litany of scars across his father's face, not merely by their multitude, but by the quality of them. These weren't scars of battles hard fought, but those of someone who was physically tortured in ways he could not even begin to describe as anything but being roasted alive. Another piece of the puzzle as to who his father was had been filled. For Vader, the most striking thing about his son were his eyes. Those piercing sapphire eyes, so much like his father's, but so better tempered by the angels of his mother's better nature. The stories he wish he could convey to his child of her. Stories he no longer had time to tell.

"Now… go my son. Leave me."

Vader could see his son shake his head in disbelief, the same way he had as his mother died in his arms many years ago.

"No! I have to get you out of here. I have to save you!"

Vader softly chuckled as his lungs began to fail on him, and looked up to his son one final time, as he expressed the words that he had wished his own mother had lived long enough to convey to him all those years ago.

"Y-you already, have Luke. You were right."

Vader felt the first sign of tears as his vision began to fade to grey. The spectre of his son becoming increasingly hazy, as the boys own tears fell onto his face.

"You were right about me. Please, tell your sister… You were right."

He had wanted to say more, but he had no more strength left to speak. His eyes began to roll back.

"Father?"

Panic overtook Luke as he noticed his father begin to slump onto the ramp.

"I won't leave you-"

And with that, Vader's soul began to leave his body. Before departing, however, he left one final message for his grieving son through their bond in the Force as it began to erase itself for good.

'I am forever proud of you, my son. May the Force be with you, always.'

It was all too much for the boy to take.

"FATHER!"

*Chirp* *Chirp* *Chirp*

The sounds of birds and wildlife, greeted a Vader as he woke up under the shade of one of many great trees in the surrounding forest. Where he was exactly, he couldn't be sure. Was it Endor? No. The wild life sounded similar, but he could not sense the presence of the local ewok tribes anywhere. Moreover, he couldn't sense his son. That brought a renewed sense of urgency. Stretching his perception across the planet, he could sense the presence of cities, villages, and towns, each likely bearing thousands, if not millions, of inhabitants in their own right. Though he could not sense the presence of any starships, wherever he had ended up clearly had developed a sufficient degree of civilization. No matter how hard he extended his senses however, his son's signature was nowhere to be found. Where in the Force was he? He shook his head as he attempted to steady his breathing, nothing was going to come clearer if he was-

His eyes widened. he was breathing. He closed his eyes once more, and tried to hear the passing of air through his respirator, only to hear the sounds of his natural breath. He pressed his hands against his mask, only to be met by two more startling discoveries. The mask was gone, he was feeling his real face for the first time in decades, and his hands… they were his real hands. Noticing a nearby stream, he bolted to it, and attempted to glean into his reflection. Though the currents made it difficult to get a clear image of his face, what he had found startled him. The marks of his immolation were nowhere to be found. In fact, if Vader was being earnest with himself, he looked as he had shortly after being knighted. Even his clothes were the same colors as before. From the near blackness of his robes, to the dark maroon of his tunic, to the darkest leather of his boots. Even his obi was decked in the same utility belt, and as he examined it, almost all of his standard equipment attached to it. The only thing missing was-

"I swear he was here! I'm not making this up!"

A voice cried out from the distance behind him, distinctly young and feminine in tow.

"Uh huh, Rubes. You mean to tell me you just found some dude out here in the middle of the woods while you were practicing, just completely passed out? With not a scratch on him?"

An incredulous voice replied back. The person was feminine as well but noticeably older, and it carried itself a considerable amount of charisma and confidence. It reminded him all too much of a certain bastard Correllian hot shot. What's more, the sounds of their footsteps were getting closer to his position.

"You saw the imprint on the grass where he was lying, Yang. He was totally there!"

"Well he certainly made quite the Impression."

"Yang, this is serious! He could be in big trouble for all we know, what if he got kidnapped?"

"Then why'd ya leave him there Ruby? You carry that scythe gun of yours pretty much all day, how hard could carrying a person be for you?"

He could sense the irritation coming off the younger voice of the two from that comment.

"First off, her name is Crescent Rose, and she deserves respect. Second, the guy was like a head and a half taller than me and built like a soldier, you try lugging someone like that for five miles."

Vader couldn't help but chuckle at the two's bickering antics. It was clear that the two were very close to each other. Best friends perhaps, or maybe even relatives? It was painful to admit, but something about their interactions reminded him of his relationship with Obi-wan and Ahsoka oh so long ago. What was even more painful for to admit, now that the darkness no longer clouded over him, was how much he wished he had it back.

"Look all I'm saying is-"

'Yang' was quickly interrupted as 'Rubes' began to shout out.

"Wait I see him Yang!"

Vader turned around, to see the source of the voices standing only about 10 steps away from him staring at him. Their eyes met each other, as sky blue orbs was met with silver and lavender. The air had grown uncomfortably tense.

"Well, he seems to have been able to clean up after himself." Yang uttered, in a failed attempt to alleviate the tension.

"I uh, take it you were looking for me?" the former dark lord addressed.

"K-kinda," The younger of the two stuttered out, before steadying herself. "We found you passed out in the forest, so we were about to carry you to our house at the edge of the woods. It's kind of dangerous to be this far out with the Grimm all around if you're not a huntsman, much less without a weapon."

So they were attempting to give him shelter. That was more kindness than Vader had been given in decades from anyone, save for his son.

"Well I thank you for your kindness, but I should be off." He politely bowed, before preparing to saunter off. Only to be cut off by Yang.

"Hold it. Now I know we may both look young, but I've seen wandering eyes before. Do you even have somewhere you can go right now?"

She raised a good point, Vader didn't really have any connections on this world. As far as he knew transportation off world was likely going to be problematic. If he was going to survive, shelter was something he was going to need to find.

"I-" he sighed, "Not really no. Not anymore."

"What happened?"

Vader considered how much of the truth he should actually tell. 'Hi, I'm a mass murdering psychopath, who terrorized half the galaxy. I was recently redeemed by my son and chucked an evil space wizard who enslaved me to do his bidding down a reactor shaft, died and then woke up 20 years younger on an unknown planet.' didn't sound like a plausible, or efficacious way of introducing himself to complete strangers. Vader disdained dishonesty, but it would appear that he would need to debase himself to adopting his former master's patented strategy of 'amending the truth'.

"M-my village was destroyed by a group of rogue soldiers. They slaughtered everyone. I was one of the few who survived. I-I maybe the only one who survived. I've been on my own ever since."

It was technically true at least, if you ignore the part where he led said group of rogue soldiers. Judging by their expression they seemed to have bought it.

"I-I'm so sorry." Ruby said, as she offered a hug to him. Vader for his part kindly lowered Ruby's hands down for her.

"I… appreciate your condolences."

A quiet silence built between them once more, though it only lasted for a minute before the young girl finally spoke up.

"That settles it, then."

"What do you mean?" Vader asked, not sure exactly what she meant by "settled".

"You're coming back with us!"

He blinked twice, not quite comprehending what the young girl had suggested. Judging by his sister's expression, she was just as bewildered as they both exclaimed their dismay almost simultaneously.

"Wait, What?"

"You said you got nowhere to go right?" Ruby spoke plainly, as if the conclusion was a matter of fact "Plus those bad guys might still be looking for you. You'll be safer with Dad and Uncle Qrow then with anyone else."

"Ruby…"

"You said it yourself Yang, he's lonely. Which means he needs a friend, And friends don't leave other friends in danger." she stared up at the blonde with pleading eyes. "Right?"

Yang sighed, unable to argue the validity of Ruby's concern for the man. The elder girl looked towards him.

"Well I guess it depends on what you want now. Want to come back with us?"

"I-I don't even know what to say."

"Say yes." Ruby pleaded, her silvery eyes looked as if they were threatening to water as he stared deep into them. "Please."

Vader attempted to resist her efforts of persuasion, however his reflection of his current predicament coupled with Ruby's frustratingly effective bargaining tactic eventually wore down his defenses. Besides which, he was too mentally exhausted to muster an argument either way. He took a sigh before finally, caving in.

"Okay. I'll go back with you."

Instantly, Ruby's face had brighten up, as a grin that threatened to split her face open appeared on her face. The young girl quickly sped to receive what appeared to be a high five from what Vader was becoming increasingly convinced was her 'sister'.

"See, puppy eyes will always gets everyone to do your bidding."

"So is that why Dad had you cleaning the bathrooms last weekend, after you spent our meal allowance for that weekend on cookies?" The blonde inquired, knowing it would only serve to aggravate her sister.

"Shut up Yang."

Vader followed along as the two began to lead him out of the forest. Surprisingly, most of the time was spent walking in silence. Not that he minded, after thing that had happened in the last however long he had been out since what should have been his death, he hadn't had a lot of time to reflect on what had happened to him. Here he was, casted into a realm unlike he had previously experienced before. There was no Luke, no Rebellion, no Empire (at least in and so far as he knew). No Jedi. No Sith. Just him. About halfway into their journey, Ruby paused her step, causing the group to halt.

"What's wrong Ruby?" the former dark lord asked, wondering what could be on her mind.

"I just realized I forgot to give you back something."

She reached around into her coat's pocket, and though she fidgeted with it for sometime trying to dislodge it from it's hiding place, she finally recovered a very familiar cylindrical object.

"I didn't mean to steal it. I just needed something to prove that you weren't something made up. Please don't be mad at me."

It was his lightsaber. Not the one he had used as Palpatine's enforcer for over 20 years, but the weapon he had created after the beginning of the clone wars. The very weapon his son had carried through most of his training, and fought with at their tragic duel at Bespin. What's more it appears to have been free of the modifications Luke had made during his own ownership of the weapon. No it was just as he had originally designed it, with the golden activation switch cover still attached to the side of the activation box.

"There was also some writing on the bottom of it, but I couldn't read what it said."

As he looked on the bottom of the hilt, he noticed an inscription engraved in aurebesh. What he had read nearly brought him to tears.

'Everyone is capable of wrong, young one. But it is only the bravest of us who choose to face those wrongs and commit to doing better. Make the most of your new life.

-Master Jinn'

Vader had not considered Qui-Gon Jinn, in many, many years. Upon his descent to the dark side, he had done his best to expunge nearly all memories of the man, not wanting to live with the guilt of how far from the man's trust in him he had fallen and failed to live up to. He didn't need more shame weighing on his shoulders then he already possessed. Yet despite all that he had done, even from beyond death, the man's faith had persisted for him well beyond what should have been deemed reasonable. He had helped to give the former dark lord a second chance, and Vader would not take his first teacher's faith for granted again.

"We never got your name by the way." The blonde inquired, curious to know the identity of the supposed young man they were bringing back to their home.

Vader considered their query. Who exactly was he supposed to be now? He wasn't a jedi anymore, but he certainly wasn't possessed to return to being a Sith either. In fact, the title of Darth Vader was one he'd rather leave behind for good, and never hear of again. This left him with only name he could claim. But he could be that man again? Of that he wasn't sure. But he would try. He would try to be the man his son and his first teacher had faith in him to be, and though neither of them would be able to see the strides he make, he will never forget the efforts they made to give him this chance. Day by Day, he will work at it. And maybe one day, as he continues to do his best by others, he may rediscover what it meant to be him again.

"It's Skywalker." He finally spoke "My name is Anakin Skywalker."