A/N: Yes, leave it to me to always come up with the most stupidest story names and plots, haha. Well this idea came to me while reading other fics depicting Ahsoka as evil or as a Sith Lady. Strangely enough, I couldn't find anything that showed Ahsoka as a fallen Jedi. So, what better than to show Ahsoka succumbing to the dark side in her "most critical moment?" (Yes, that's a quote. From the TCW episode "In Search of the Crystal," when Anakin and Obi-Wan are discussing Ahsoka's decision in leaving the Jedi Order.) But let me set this straight, I personally think Ahsoka is a very strong person and resisted the dark side very well; this is just an idea and a perception into what might have happened had Ahsoka been tempted by the dark side. And for the super nerdy/picky people, this AU starts after the 8-minute mark in "To Catch a Jedi." The environment in which she's captured is exactly the same as when she's ambushed by Ventress. So if you want a visualization of what I'm trying to describe in the first few paragraphs, go watch the episode. Otherwise, enjoy!
Side note: Photo creds go to Raikoh-illust from DeviantArt. And I don't own any of the characters here (they all belong to Lucasfilm).
As Ahsoka trudged through the streets of Coruscant, she remained weary. She had just narrowly escaped an encounter with the police, and now she found herself alone, which was somewhat a relief. The next step was to find a way to contact Barriss and see what she's found out so far.
Seeing that the alleyway Ahsoka was in led to a dead end, she spotted a fence gate off to the side. She quickly vaulted over it and continued, keeping an eye out for police. Strangely enough, this street was empty. The only real sign of activity was a barrel with a fire in it. It could be worse... Ahsoka thought.
Ahsoka then stopped and turned around. She could've sworn she just heard something. Or more like felt something. After a second, she shrugged it off and kept moving. Am I going crazy? Argh! What's wrong with me today? As if more things could go wrong than the situation she was in right now.
Ahsoka heard another noise, but like the first one, she couldn't make it out. She quickened her pace, her body filling with fear and anxiety. She heard another noise, and this time she turned around, only to briefly see a hooded figure drop down on her and knock her out with a kick to the face.
Ahsoka awoke to a throbbing pain in her forehead, and slowly, she focused her vision to see where she was. It took a while for the haze to go away from her eyes, but when it did, what she say didn't differ much from her groggy state seconds before.
Ahsoka looked around to find herself in a dark room which was lit by a single light suspended from the ceiling. She also saw that she was seated at a circular table, and was handcuffed to the top of it. Other than that, Ahsoka couldn't see anything else other than darkness, which frightened her.
Ahsoka decided to go ahead and try the cuffs, but like every other time she's tried to free herself of handcuffs, she failed. The cuffs didn't seem to electrocute her or tighten up when she resisted them, like the pair of binders did when she was taken captive by Cad Bane.
Ahsoka then shouted out, "Whoever you are, why are you holding me?"
To her surprise, she got a response from the other side of the room, "Calm now, my child."
The voice masculine and sounded old with a sinister touch to it, and it felt familiar. But either way, Ahsoka couldn't see the speaker.
Ahsoka angrily spat back, "Who are you? Show yourself!"
Again to her surprise, the speaker revealed himself in the menial light that was emanating just above the table. He was dressed in a black cloak, with only the bottom half of his face showing. He looked like a human, with a pale and smug expression on his face, with what Ahsoka could make out.
The speaker said, "You may be wondering who I am, but don't worry. I mean you no harm. I am simply a...friend." The man then started to circle around the table.
Ahsoka asked, "Where am I?"
"An irrelevant question, for now."
"What do you want?"
"In reality, I should be asking you that question."
"What do you mean?" Ahsoka asked. Was this man offering her something?
"I see your predicament. The Jedi have turned their backs on you, and you want allies to help you find the truth. Am I correct?"
Ahsoka couldn't have said it better herself. It seemed strange that someone other than Anakin and Barriss, both close friends, would want to help her out. What was even stranger was that she didn't even know this man.
"I suppose so," Ahsoka finally replied. "But why are you helping me?"
"Because we both can benefit from an alliance with each other," the man said, continuing to circle the table.
Ahsoka snapped, "What makes you think I'll do something as stupid as that?"
"Because I know you will. In fact, you are doing right now."
"I don't know where you get your delusions from, old man. But whatever you want, you won't get it." Ahsoka was going to stand firm, no matter what this man said.
"Your emotions betray you, child. Think of me as a guide, a helper. I hold the power to get what you want. What you truly want."
"Deep down, you know the Jedi wanted to get rid of you this whole time. They've done that just by having their clones imprison you. It was the Jedi Order who framed you. And you know it."
Ahsoka shook her head, "No, it's not possible. They would never!"
"Search your feelings, you know this to be true. Everyone has abandoned you, even your master."
Ahsoka shouted, "No! Master Skywalker would never abandon me! Never!"
"I think otherwise. The Senate currently has a bounty on your head, and right now, as we speak, there are teams of clone troopers searching for you, to bring you to justice."
Ahsoka looked straight into what she thought were the eyes of the man, "I didn't do anything wrong. I was framed!"
"By the Jedi," the man added.
"No! It's not possible!" Ahsoka was fighting back tears at this point. This man wouldn't let up.
"You don't have to be alone in this. I can offer you something no one else can: the power to get what you truly want, what you truly deserve."
"And what is that?"
"It's nice to see you're suddenly interested in my offer. But first, you must pledge yourself to me."
"And what makes you think I'll do such a thing?"
"You have nowhere to go. You have no friends, no allies..."
"Stop!"
"...no power, no one to look out for you..."
"Stop it!" Ahsoka was desperate. For the first time in a long time, she didn't know what to do.
"...all alone, abandoned, lonely..."
"STOP!" Ahsoka couldn't take it anymore. Before she knew it, she was shedding tears.
"But I can help you. I can relieve you of your pain. I can help you seek revenge against those who want to wrong you."
Ahsoka flared at the sound of revenge, "NO! I won't give in to the dark side!"
"We'll see." And with that, the man stood opposite of Ahsoka and with just a slight lift of his left hand, Ahsoka's binders were uncuffed.
"What...?"
"If you want to kill me, do it now."
"Who are you?"
"Call me...Sidious. Darth Sidious."
Ahsoka angrily spat, "You're a Sith Lord!" She stood up and kicked her chair off to the side, and got into a defensive posture.
Sidious calmly replied, "Precisely why I'm giving you the option to kill me."
Ahsoka reached for her lightsaber, which should've been on her belt, but it wasn't there.
Sidious said, "No lightsaber, huh? That's a shame. I have a spare you could use."
"You're letting me kill you?" Ahsoka was confused.
"That's your decision, my dear. I'm only asking for your allegiance. Only then, can you achieve a power so great that no one will be able to stop you."
Sidious continued, "I know you want to give in to the dark side. I can feel your hate, your anger, your fear. What if I was to tell you that someone you thought was your best friend is actually trying to get you in prison?"
Ahsoka instantly knew who he was talking about, "You're talking about Barriss, aren't you? No, she would never betray me!"
"I think otherwise. I have evidence showing that she's trying to frame you."
Now Ahsoka was crying for real, "NO! She can't! It's impossible!"
"She isn't the only one who's betrayed you so far. How about your master, Skywalker?"
"No!" Ahsoka was clutching her lekku with both hands, but she couldn't block out what Sidious was saying. Her sadness and anger were beginning to boil over.
"Yes, let your anger and hate feed you. They are the only things that will help you get revenge."
"No! Stop!" Now Ahsoka was on her knees, unable to stop the tears that were literally flowing from her eyes.
It was then that Ahsoka finally stopped for a second to really consider what the man was offering. She looked at her hands for a few seconds, and clutching them, she said, "I want to learn how to use the dark side."
The hooded man came up to Ahsoka and said, "Good, good."
The man then reached into his cloak and pulled out a lightsaber, but it wasn't hers. It looked a lot like her big lightsaber, but it wasn't the same. Ahsoka took a look at it, and then reached and grabbed it.
"Follow me," Sidious said. Ahsoka hooked her new lightsaber to her belt and rose, following the dark lord. Anyone who saw Ahsoka at this time would see that her eye color was slowly morphing into a sulphuric yellow, and that her lekku and skin were beginning to exhibit streaks of black.
"Rex, have there been any recent reports on where Ahsoka is?"
"Negative, sir."
"Be sure to inform the authorities that she is to be brought in alive."
"Yes sir!"
Anakin was stressed, to say the least. But he had to stay focused. His Padawan was loose in the streets of Coruscant, and he had to find her. The gunship he was in helped the search go by quicker, but not quick enough. It was only self-control that was keeping him from going crazy.
Just then, Anakin got a report over his comm saying that they may have spotted Ahsoka on level 13.
"Pilot! Get us down to level 13 as quickly as you can!"
"Yes sir!"
As they were descending, Anakin got another call on his comm. This time, it was Master Yoda.
"Skywalker, vigilant, you must be. A great disturbance in the Force, there is. Like what you find, you may not."
"Acknowledged, Master."
When his gunship reached level 13, Anakin ordered all of his troops off to head to the location where Ahsoka was last seen.
As the group hurried through the winding maze of streets, Anakin started to feel something strange. As Rex and the other clones rounded a corner, Anakin stopped, getting a very shivering feeling in his chest.
When Anakin turned around, he saw that the alleyway was empty, except for a hooded figure standing in the middle of it. Something felt familiar about the figure. It was only when the person started to walk forward that it became more clear on who it was.
"Hello, master," the figure spat.
"Ahsoka?" Anakin was confused. So many questions raced through his mind. Why was his Padawan in what looked like Sith robes? Wasn't she running away from him and everybody else, not seeking him out? Why did he get a strange feeling in his gut about her?
It was only when Ahsoka tossed her cloak off to the side and ignited a red lightsaber that Anakin's eyes were as wide as dinner plates. Ahsoka looked almost exactly like she did back on Mortis. Yellow eyes, big black patches around her eyes, and black streaks covering her entire body, including her lekku.
"Ahsoka...no..." Anakin whispered. He didn't get much time to say anything, because at that moment, Ahsoka launched herself high up into the air and brought herself down on her master. Anakin quickly ignited and brought up his lightsaber into a defensive posture just seconds away from being cut down by his young apprentice.
"Ahsoka...why?" Anakin asked in between Ahsoka's aggressive and reckless lightsaber strikes.
Ahsoka angrily shouted, "You betrayed me! Everyone abandoned and left me! You all deserve to die!" The fire in Ahsoka's eyes raged with hatred.
Anakin vaulted over Ahsoka after quickly tiring out from Ahsoka's constant blows, "This...isn't the way Ahsoka! What are you doing?" For now, both Ahsoka and Anakin held their ground.
"Getting revenge," Ahsoka darkly uttered.
"Against me? I've done nothing but help you Ahsoka!" Anakin pleaded. He was so confused right now, no, bewildered. He knew his Padawan was better than this. He knew she was more than capable of resisting the dark side. And he knew for one, this wasn't a repeat of Mortis. This was the real deal: Ahsoka had turned to the dark side willingly.
Both master and Padawan held their ground, sabers in defensive positions. Anakin continued, "I can help you Ahsoka. Whoever told you that the dark side was the only way is wrong! I'll stand by you, no matter what happens. You know that!"
Ahsoka replied, "You can't help me master. Nobody can. Only I have the power to find the truth and kill those responsible!"
Anakin tried a different approach, "You're only going to make things worse Ahsoka! I won't hurt you, just put down your lightsaber. We can both find out who is responsible for the bombing. I believe that you're innocent, but you can't go on a murder spree here..."
Ahsoka interrupted, "And who's going to stop me?"
Anakin pleaded, "You're not powerful enough to take on the whole Republic. Please, I'll even let you go free. I'll trust you. You can find the truth yourself. No one even has to know this happened. Just leave the dark side. That's all I ask."
Ahsoka snapped, "NO! There's nothing left to support me other than the dark side. I've realized that the only way to find out the truth is to find them and kill them!"
Anakin had an idea, "Here, no lightsaber." The Jedi Knight then deactivated his lightsaber and rolled it on the ground in between him and Ahsoka.
Ahsoka looked at Anakin curiously, but still kept her saber up. For extra measure, Anakin even held up his hands, just to give his Padawan assurance that he meant her no harm.
"It's all right Ahsoka, I won't hurt you."
For a few moments, the Togruta kept up her angry glare at her master, but after which, she finally turned off her lightsaber, but still kept in her hand.
"Ok then-ah!" Ahsoka barely got two words out of her mouth before being stunned in the back. After she fell into a semi-fetal position, multiple clone troopers swarmed in from behind where Ahsoka had been standing.
"Are you all right sir?" Captain Rex asked, bringing up the rear of the clone trooper squad.
"Couldn't have timed it better Rex," Anakin remarked before looking down at his unconscious Padawan.
"What happened to Commander Tano? She doesn't look good to me."
"Dark side, the rest can wait for later. We need to get her back to the prison before she wakes up. Let's get her to a landing platform and on a transport, fast."
"Right away, General!"
A/N: Yeah...sorry for the bad ending and the minimal action. Especially the ending, I struggled with either ending with Ahsoka fleeing the scene and running into Ventress (and then you know the rest of the story there) or putting the ending I have currently. So yeah, the lesser of the two evils, if that even applies to something like this...haha. Anyways, a rather long one-shot, but I hope this is a start of something new. No, there won't be a sequel to this. Just assume that the story goes back into canon when Ahsoka gets stunned at the warehouse in "To Catch a Jedi."
By the way, I try to write my stories as if the voice actors were actually saying the lines I write for my characters. If it doesn't feel right, then I take it out. The thing I like to do when reading a fanfic is always looking at it and visualizing if it actually happened on, let's say a TV screen. So I try to stick as much visual imagery as I can, if it's appropriate, to give you guys the ideas that I have through words...if that makes sense. Well, review if you want, tell me what you think about the work, but yay or nay, more Star Wars content is coming. Thanks for reading!