Path of the Fallen
Characters: Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi High Council Members, Jedi Knights, Jedi Padawans, to be added
Pairings: Anakin Skywalker/Padmé Amidala, Riyo/Ahsoka, and others unknown at this time
Disclaimer:
I do not own Star Wars, I do not own Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and I wish that I did but I don't. Please don't sue me Disney. Otherwise enjoy!
Summary:
This is a what if scenario based on the idea that Ahsoka was still in contact with Anakin and that she was helped by him to continue outside the Order… it will play out this scenario and show one possibility, other than death, for dear Ahsoka Tano. Rated M just in case may change. Thanks to Serpentbane007 my coauthor/beta.
Path of the Fallen:
Prologue
Mortis, unknown space 20 BBY plus six months
This place is strange… dark and light intermixed and seeming as one, the Force hums and seeps through everything, how this is possible is beyond my comprehension… but that vision… thinking back on the vision she had experienced Ahsoka finds sleep eluding her, such darkness and deceit… yet I could feel the fear in that version of me, her fear of what I may become… Is it possible? Could it be true that staying by Master Skywalker's side could mean my end?
No there is no way that could be true! Master Skywalker cares for me more deeply than you know and he'd never hurt me, intentionally or unintentionally… this place is getting to you Ahsoka, meditate and you might find an answer. Realising she would not sleep she slowly sits down crossing her legs and resting her arms on her knees. Careful to keep her mind clear Ahsoka allows herself to slip into the field of the Living Force like the Jedi Masters at the temple had taught her. The Force flows over Ahsoka in waves, its current draws her in pulling her away from where she is now. As the caves fade from existence the strong Force sensitivity of the planet crashes like a wave on Ahsoka's corporeal form. Her vision of the older Ahsoka plays in the background before it fades and in place of the caves comes a dishevelled room.
In the room Ahsoka can see pieces scattered about, some appear to be machine parts and little mechanical trinkets, while others are broken metal and raw ores. The crates and tables are disorganised and shadows play in the corner of Ahsoka's sight. Hoping to catch whatever was behind her unaware Ahsoka reaches for her lightsaber shoto and turns. There's no lightsaber! Ahsoka's mind thinks as she comes face to face with one of the most haunting things she'd ever seen.
Standing before her in a similar, but darker, outfit is a Togruta, her skin is a pale weak orange and the markings along her face are a dirtied white. More unsettling is the black veins popping out along her entire body seeming to spread like some kind of corruption through her. Her Montrals and Lekku also have the black veins webbing a pattern, and the strips of deep blue are an even stronger dark, to the point where they might as well be black. But what terrifies Ahsoka the most is that she knows that face and those eyes, for they are her own.
Deep yellow eyes tinged red at their edges which are pointed and broken like shattered glass stare into Ahsoka's soul seeming to wish to control her, trying to overpower her will and connection to the light side of the Force. The attack is so raw and dark that Ahsoka begins to go short of breath, her hands clutch at her chest where her heat was. The organ was growing slow and cold, like a frozen hand was clasping at it and squeezing trying hard to make it burst. Ahsoka's breath becomes fainter and the pain building in her wells to the point where she's about to scream…
"Leave her alone, if she dies we die," says a voice Ahsoka recognises as her own, but this voice does not come from the cold dark Mirror before her with its hand outstretched, instead it comes from behind Ahsoka, her Montrals and Lekku allowing her to piece together that the voice comes from the tables she was at only seconds ago.
The force around Ahsoka's heart drops and her body slowly begins to return to its normal temperature as the Mirror steps away with a growl of disapproval before completely disappearing in the shadows. Ahsoka shivers as a cold feeling runs down her spine before she turns to see another Mirror, this one clothed in the garb of a pilot or mechanic. Baggy trousers hang off the Mirror's waist ending just after her knees, with at least seven viewable pockets, and instead of a shirt a tight, very revealing, maroon tube top covers the Mirror to keep her decent, a pair of gloves are worn on both hands but one of the gloves is long and covers most of the Mirror's left arm. This Mirror wears the same face as Ahsoka herself, but it is stained and marred by oil spots, grease, and what appear to be a couple welding scars. Slowly putting down the Hydrospanner she'd been using this Mirror looks up and plucks the goggles off her eyes growling in discomfort when they smack painfully into her forehead, rubbing the sore spot she grimaces at Ahsoka.
"It's about time you finally showed up! Do you know how hard it is to try and fix a Hyperdrive when you have to deal with people like her running around?" the Mechanic Mirror hisses as she jerks a thumb behind Ahsoka and the girl turns to see the dark creature of herself standing there with her mouth wide open and aimed at Ahsoka's neck, never before had Ahsoka realised just how pointy her teeth really were. Ahsoka backs away and slams into the table grunting as her wrist hurts. "And don't even get me started on the others!"
This brings Ahsoka's attention away from the now crazy smiling Dark Mirror who was laughing and skipping about with her crazed eyes. Ahsoka stares at the Mechanic Mirror and suddenly remembers the last thing she'd said.
"What do you mean others?"
"Them of course!" Mechanic Mirror grunts as she jerks her thumb at the shadows and other versions of Ahsoka step out. Ahsoka can only see a couple of the Mirrors, one looks like a version of Ahsoka tied to the light side of the Force, conservative clothing and Jedi robes hang off her form. The second looks like some kind of sexy Mirror, dressed in civilian clothes that were tight and reminiscent of some of the Coruscant teenagers she'd seen when out of the Temple. What was truly terrifying about the pair though was the way they walked, while the Jedi Mirror held herself in a way that projected humility and honour the Sexy Mirror walked with a swagger in her hips that made it hard for every version of Ahsoka in the room to concentrate for a couple of seconds.
"Where am I?" Ahsoka asks quietly.
"You're in the Living Force," answers the Jedi Mirror. Ahsoka turns and stares at the reserved Jedi like she was insane instead of the Dark Mirror currently trying to put the moves Sexy Mirror who was ogling Mechanic Mirror.
"How can I be in the Living Force? That isn't possible is it?" Ahsoka questions, her answer comes in the suave confident Sexy Mirror who struts up and lays a hand lightly on Ahsoka's arm.
"Dear you still don't get it do you? Someone find the smarty pants reflection!" Sexy Mirror shouts as she gives Ahsoka a sly smile and steps away. Before Ahsoka has a chance to ask another question she is suddenly bumped into by someone moving at high speed behind her. Ahsoka turns and is confronted by yet another Mirror of herself.
This one is clean and pristine, glasses hang slightly lowered off her nose and her face is buried in a flimsibook, or at least that's what she would look like if she weren't currently on the ground with her skirt spread out around her and her legs apart, the flimsibook forgotten and crumpled on the ground with her glasses jostled. Leaning down Ahsoka helps the Mirror up, who then takes a minute to unruffle her lengthy skirt and smooth out any wrinkles in her baggy sweatshirt.
"And you might be?" Ahsoka starts hoping that she was finally talking to someone who'd give her a straight answer.
"Oh! So sorry I'm late. I'm Library Mirror, the sum of all the knowledge you've ever gained throughout your entire life!" Library Mirror shouts with glee, a large soulful smile on her lips as she practically bounces up and down.
"Alright, could you tell me what's happening here?"
"Oh!... right, right, right. Well…" Library Mirror starts before making an ah-ha sound and picking up her flimsibook and flipping through it. "Here we are!"
Stabbing a finger onto the page Library Mirror begins to read word for word.
"So… 'A deep unguided meditation in an area highly focused in Force energy can allow a Force user to draw upon the Force in such a way as to give limited corporeal form to different sides, emotions, and versions of themselves. This state is known as… known as... " Library Mirror flips the page, her finger flowing all the way back up to the top right hand corner. "... known as Inner Meditation, while few Jedi have recorded being able to find a place to perform this advanced technique those who have managed often find that repeating the process can help them to better understand themselves and to solve possible inner turmoils stemming from different events which occurred in the real world.' How's that for an explanation?" Looking quite proud of herself Library Mirror takes Ahsoka's stunned silence as understanding and goes back to reading.
"So… I'm in my own head?" Ahsoka finally manages, though still sounding confused and weirded out at the same time.
"Duh…" hisses the Dark Mirror. "I mean where else would a version of yourself so messed up be capable of being on full display in her truly rotten terribly awful self?"
"I don't like you."
"Why thank you lovely, I bet you say that to all the girls and boys though… Now tell me who else you've said that too so I can tear them limb from limb!" Shouts the Dark Mirror. Ahsoka raises an eyebrow at the Dark Mirror and decides since the other Reflections ignored it so can she.
"So I'm here because this place is a conduit of the Force?"
"Exactly," answers Jedi Mirror.
"Ding-dong! The sexy little thing is more than looks after all," states Sexy Mirror.
"Welded that one together perfectly, couldn't have done it any better myself," Mechanic Mirror replies.
"Precisely," mumbles Library Mirror as she continues her walk in circles.
"Sadly you are right…" groans Dark Mirror.
"Okay… so then why am I here?" Ahsoka questions, thinking that if she goes through it step by step she can keep getting straight answers.
"Because the Force wills it," says Jedi Mirror.
"Cause you're a sexy firecracker," Sexy Mirror interjects.
"Because you need to cope with the vision you've had," mumbles Library Mirror.
"Because I need help fixing this Hyperdrive," answers Mechanic Mirror.
"So I can make sure you're all mine and no one will ever have you again," Dark Mirror says without hesitation.
"What did you say Library Mirror?" Ahsoka questions, and the addressed Mirror halts mid step staring ing with surprised in her big blue eyes.
"What… d-d-did I s-s-say?"
"Well yeah, I obviously can't trust what Dark Mirror is saying because I can't tell what she's really after, Sexy Mirror literally wants me to strip for her I'm guessing, Jedi Mirror is too vague, and Mechanic Mirror is out of her depth when it comes to these styles of discussion… so that just leaves you of all those present and accounted for."
"W-well… n-no o-one r-r-really listens to me u-usually…"
"You're fine, I won't think any less of you, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that your mumble made the most sense, so please continue."
"O-o-okay… w-well… Y-you had a v-vision a-about staying An-anakin's a-apprentice… I-in that vision… w-well, an o-older y-you sa-said to not be Anakin's apprentice… and that you'd might not see your future if you did. Obviously this has shaken you and you need to better understand what it means," finishes Library Mirror simply, finally having lost her stutter.
"Alright, looks like I have something to meditate on, so everyone be quiet," Ahsoka commands as she takes the position she had in the real world and begins to meditate, the sound of the Mirrors and Reflections fading to white noise.
Mortis, Unknown Space, 20 BBY plus five months and thirty days
As Ahsoka sat imprisoned by the Dark Mirror she could only watch through a jerry-rigged holo screen as the Dark Mirror took all of Ahsoka's pent of frustrations, hates, and angers and unleashed them upon her Master and Master Kenobi. Fear rose in Ahsoka's heart as the battle raged with neither Jedi seeming able to save her and break her free.
"Anakin… come on, you know that isn't me, snap that bitch Dark Mirror out of my body and back into my mind!" Ahsoka shouts. A hand rests on her shoulder, it's a Mirror she doesn't recognise, one that seems to project calm from her simple outfit to her light makeup and easy going demeanor.
"Its no use Ahsoka, Son's infection of you gave Dark Mirror a way to break free of your control, Anakin and Obi-Wan can't hear you from in here, I'm sorry to say but you're trapped in here with the rest of us. If it makes you feel any better you are much better company," Says Calm Mirror.
"I… It's odd to be helpless like this…" Ahsoka groans as she collapses, surprisingly though the other Mirrors come over and place a hand on her shoulder.
"We know how you feel, we are all a part of you and normally we don't have enough Force energy to be more than voices in your head, but here with our semi-corporeal forms we understand what it must be like to be you," Calm Mirror continues
"This is going to end badly," Mechanic Mirror states as she watches Dark Mirror, in control of Ahsoka's body, hand the knife over. Then he reaches over and places a pair of fingers on Ahsoka's forehead and everything goes black, the Mirrors completely disappear and Ahsoka is left alone in the dark.
She doesn't know how long she is like this but then the feeling of the Force overtaking her begins. It crashes into her like a tidal wave and it is only through luck that Ahsoka manages to barely keep her footing on the invisible floor, yet as quickly as the wave hit it recedes and pulls on her legs. Ahsoka throws out her arms flailing to try and keep her balance, the next thing she knows she falling.
She hits the ground hard as the Force pulls at her like a strong current, climbing up her legs to get a better grip on her and pull her away faster. As she begins to feel cold Ahsoka is reminded of the Dark Mirror when it reached to her with the Force.
"No. NO. NO! I won't… I won't let her have me!" Ahsoka shouts and struggles more against the cold touch of the Force as it draws her deeper into the unyielding black. But her struggles only seem to make the process go faster and soon the Force is grabbing at her arms and pulling them to her sides, pulling her even faster than she could believe.
Then a single light flickers on, the feeling of the Force recedes and right before Ahsoka's eyes open back to the real world she catches a glimpse of Mechanic Mirror giving her a thumbs up. Hugging her is Anakin, and Ahsoka reciprocates not knowing why her master is hugging her so tightly. Still there is no time to consider or ask questions because soon Ahsoka has taken on the roll of her Mechanic Mirror, trying to fix up and rebuild the poor ship that had been brought down.
Before Ahsoka knew it they were waking up in the Jedi Shuttle with memories of a place that didn't seem to exist anymore and that had impossibly sent them back to almost the exact moment that they'd been sucked into the pyramidal world.
Ahsoka had tried to talk with Anakin and Obi-Wan about what happened but neither would open up to her, so Ahsoka turned to the only other people she knew that weren't Jedi… Senators.
Coruscant, Senator Amidala's Apartment, Inner Rim 20 BBY plus five months and fifteen days
Ahsoka's leave of absence from the frontline to meditate and understand both her death, her vision, and the odd Inner Meditation she had accidentally embarked upon while on Mortis had been approved. So now Ahsoka stands ready to knock on Senator Amidala's door without any idea what will transpire when she does. Taking a deep breath and schooling her fear Ahsoka knocks on the door and it opens to reveal Senators Chuchi, Amidala, and Organa all sitting and speaking with each other quite heatedly. The three turn to look at Ahsoka and both Riyo and Padmé are happy to see the young girl, Bail was not displeased at least.
"Padawan Tano, may I ask why we have the pleasure of your company?" Bail asks wonderment on his face. Ahsoka grips her left arm tightly enough to pale the knuckles on her right hand, that along with her lowered head makes for a very miserable seeming Ahsoka.
"I-its okay… I… I apologise for the interruption, I… I'll come back later," Ahsoka says as she turns to go though Riyo speaks up.
"No, please stay. This interruption may be unexpected but is not unwelcome, now is it my fellow Senators?" Riyo questions, and something in the only slightly older girl's voice convinces Ahsoka to stay. Bail stands and bows to the three women.
"I apologise but it is getting late and I ought to leave. I hope your discussion goes well Lady Tano, it would appear you are in need of some council," Bail says as he exits and the door shuts. As soon as it does Ahsoka runs forward embracing Padmé and crying.
"It was… it was so awful Padmé… The things I saw… The things I did... " Ahsoka cries and Riyo places a hand on the Togruta's shoulder. After allowing Ahsoka to cry for a couple of minutes Padmé gently sets her down on the couch.
"Riyo, if… if you would please keep Ahsoka company for a second I have a feeling this is not a conversation best had in the stiff clothes of a diplomat. Ahsoka, I'll be right back, I just need to change so that we'll all be more comfortable, alright?" Padmé asks.
Ahsoka doesn't trust herself to speak and simply nods to the closest woman she has to a mother. Riyo nods at Padmé's words and sits down on the couch beside the Jedi Padawan only for Ahsoka to close the distance and latch onto her. Riyo could tell quite quickly that Ahsoka needed this, and so was willing to indulge her friend in this time of need, but all of this worried Riyo greatly, Ahsoka was one of the strongest women she knew next to Padmé, for her to shaken to her core like this… it would rightly terrify her whatever Ahsoka had gone through, and it must be traumatic. Riyo carefully holds Ahsoka close, diligent to not press on Ahsoka's sensitive Lekku or Montrals as she rubs the only two year younger eighteen year old.
Riyo has no idea how long the pair has sat there, only that the sun is nearly set and Padmé is running out to hug Ahsoka tightly. Padmé had changed into a sleeping gown and helped free Riyo of Ahsoka's death grip on the twenty year old Pantoran's arm.
"What happened?" Riyo asked Padmé, who had trails of tears running along her face. Padmé rocked Ahsoka quietly in her sleep, the Togrutan having passed out under Riyo's tender care. "Senator, what happened to Ahsoka?"
"She died…" Padmé whispered as she held Ahsoka even tighter. Riyo was shocked to say the least… Ahsoka dead? But… she was right here… how would that be possible? But Ahsoka DIED! If she was dead then how could she be here? Placing that on the backburner of her mind Riyo decides now is the time for confirmation, slowly Riyo reaches out to her friend, afraid that if she touched her she would disappear but when her hand finally made contact with Ahsoka's orange skin the Togruta didn't disappear and Padmé wasn't simply holding air. So Riyo let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding and clutched at the already hugging pair.
This was not a night of words, but a night of comfort, somehow it was the job of two Republic Senators to keep a Jedi Padawan from losing her mind, and to comfort her and dealing with her death and resurrection. Tonight is going to be a long night, Riyo thinks to herself as she helps Padmé hold Ahsoka close, but worth it.
End Prologue
A/N:
This will be posted every two weeks, Hopefully I will finish the next part before I run through all of this.
Quick Note: Mirrors/Reflections is what I'm going to call these alternate Ahsokas, each will represent a specific side of her like the dark side, light side, civilian, etc.. You'll be meeting more of these as we go on, I'm kinda borrowing and twisting this idea from another fanfic I read, and it's how I've always envisioned deep unguided meditations going for Force users, Credit to Arty B. Good and his fic Launch Date which I borrowed a few elements from!
Hey all, hope you guys like another venture into Star Wars The Clone Wars with me, this will be a longer running one, no idea on how long it's going to last or exactly how it is going to end but the plan is that by the time you guys see this chapter it will fairly written up, maybe even complete. Anyways all other stories are hopefully continuing as I plan and with any luck you, the readers, are enjoying yourselves. Reviews welcome and thanks to Serpentbane007 for helping me out!