Hi wonderful readers out in Fanfiction land! Here's another Star Wars Rebels oneshot! Like the others I've written, it can be seen as a standalone, or as a continuation of the other oneshots!
As always, if any of the characters are OOC, if you have any plot ideas for future oneshots, or if ya just want to tell me you liked the oneshot, I'd be glad to know!
Enjoy reading, and please review, fav and/or follow!
Ezra could hear someone breathing through a respirator, the sound rasped, heavy and ominous.
There was a young man, with blonde hair, and scared eyes. He was staring up at someone...
There was the flash of a red lightsaber, slicing through darkness.
A scream, and Ezra felt pain and agony, but it was that of another.
"I am your father."
"NOOO!"
Ezra awoke, drenched in sweat, screaming, and someone shaking him.
"Ezra! Ezra! Please, open your eyes!"
Bright blue eyes snapped wide open, voice dying away in his throat, and he suddenly was in his room aboard the Ghost. The lights were on, and Ezra found the one shaking him was Kanan. The man sat on the edge of the bedroll, worry on his face. Zeb, Hera and Sabine stood beside where Kanan sat, all looking worried. Even Chopper was in the room, warbling in low, sad tones.
Ezra's chest rose and fell with labored breaths, his lungs burning with pain after his agonizing scream. His eyes were wide, looking shocked. He could feel his heart pounding harshly against his ribs.
Kanan looked relieved, and stopped shaking the teen's shoulders.
"Blast, Ezra. You scared us!" He stated, managing a tired chuckle as he ran a hand through his hair, pulling it away from his face. His hair was hanging around his face loosely, and he wore a bed shirt, showing he had been sleeping like Ezra had been.
Ezra pushed himself up on shaky arms, looking from one face to the next with large, terrified eyes.
"Are you okay?" Kanan asked, brow furrowing in concern as he took note of Ezra's pale face and frightened gaze.
The teen looked at him for a long moment, then ducked his head, burying his head in his hands. Kanan went to stand, thinking maybe Ezra wanted to be alone (he could always confront him later), but the teen's hand snapped out latching onto his arm. Ezra 's thin fingers were trembling, even as he held tightly onto Kanan's forearm. Kanan glanced at the teen's ducked head, then sat back down, looking at the others.
"I'll stay with him." He stated, nodding towards the door, indicating for them to leave. At their hesitance, he added, "We can talk later."
They all headed towards the door, but Hera paused, casting a worried glance at Ezra before finally leaving. Kanan turned his attention back to his student. Ezra hadn't yet moved, simply choking out short breaths.
"Ezra...Ezra, just calm down, take a breath...Ezra."
No response from the youth, and the grip on the man's arm didn't lessen any.
"Ezra." Kanan tried once more, tone stern. "Look at me, Ezra."
The teen's eyes, dim with fear, finally turned up to meet Kanan's own green gaze. The man's face was lined with worry, but his presence was strong, unwavering and comforting to Ezra.
"Now, take a deep breath. Like in meditation. Inhale," Kanan breathed in with the teen. "And...Exhale. Good."
They repeated this a few more times, Kanan breathing deeply with Ezra. Finally the youth calmed down, if only slightly, and released his mentor's arm. His face, though, was still pale, and his form still shook.
"Alright, now tell me what's wrong." When no reply came, Kanan guessed. "A nightmare?"
Ezra shook his head, sweat drenched strands of hair swinging about with the movement.
"N-No." He managed, his throat dry as dust. "It...It was a vision."
Kanan's brow furrowed, surprise flashing through his eyes. He knew Ezra was strong with the force, that he could see things just before they happened. But they had always been simple flashes, an image or two in the youth's mind that lasted only a split second, not full-blown visions that lasted for minutes on end. The man sighed and shifted so that he leaned against the wall that the bedroll was against. He pulled Ezra over to sit beside him, and wrapped an arm around his student's thin shoulders.
"Alright. Tell me what you saw, everything that you can remember."
Ezra licked his lips nervously. He didn't want to have to think about the vision.
"I...I'm probably wrong. It was...It was probably just a nightmare."
Kanan fixed him with a look.
"Ezra. I know that you can tell the difference. There's no reason to be scared, you know the future isn't set in stone, and right now, you're safe. I'm here, and won't let anyone hurt you."
Ezra scowled, looking away, hugging his knees to his chest.
"I'm not scared. And I'm fine."
"Then just talk. Tell me what you can remember, and we can try and figure out what it means."
Ezra huffed.
"It was pretty self-explanatory, but..." He then sighed, hesitantly turning his gaze back to Kanan. "Alright."
Kanan smiled supportively, letting Ezra sort out his thoughts. Finally, the teen spoke.
"Well...Well it was dark at first...I could hear someone breathing, loud and heavy, like...Like they had a respirator. Then...Then I saw someone. He looked about...About twenty-something."
Ezra was pale again, and Kanan rubbed his Padawan's arm supportively,
"What did he look like?" Kanan asked. "Was he someone you know?"
The youth shook his head almost immediately.
"No. I've never seen him in my life." He struggled to remember the young man from his vision. "He had...Blonde hair and...Blue eyes, I think. And he was scared."
Ezra's voice lowered slightly, fear flashing through his eyes.
"It was...It was cold, And windy..."
As images of the vision replayed in Ezra's mind, his breath became shallow and ragged.
"Breathe, Ezra." Kanan encouraged. The youngling did as told, inhaling deeply before exhaling for a long few seconds. Now calmer, he continued, though his voice slightly shook.
"He was looking up at someone...The guy with the respirator, I think. Then there was red light...A lightsaber, a red one, and..."
Ezra suddenly looked like he was going to be sick as he wrapped his arms around his stomach.
"There was a scream, the guy with blonde hair...And there was blood! Master, Kanan, he was in so much pain!"
Ezra's trembling returned, worse than before. Kanan was quick to tighten his hold around his friend's shoulders. Ezra didn't stop talk though, didn't even halt. Brave young Ezra continued
"The man that attacked him! He said he was his father! What dad would do something so horrible?!" Ezra demanded, anger and sadness in his eyes.
Kanan held Ezra closer.
"Easy there, Ezra." He soothed. "Calm down, don't let your anger control you."
But really, Kanan knew it wasn't. Ezra, so strong in the force, had felt the pain of the young man in the vision, and that meant that the youngling's health could be in jeopardy if he continued to have such visions.
The two humans sat there for a long while, Kanan comforting his Padawan. And finally, Ezra's shaking had died away, as did his anger, and all that was left was an exhausted, pale faced Ezra. Soon, Kanan spoke, voice a hushed whisper.
"Why don't you try and get some sleep, Ezra? You're obviously tired-"
Panic sparked in Ezra's eyes as he jerked back, shaking his head fiercely.
"No!" He yelped. "I don't want to see tht stuff again!"
Kanan managed to grab Ezra's shoulders.
"Woah, woah! Look at me kid, look at me!" He exclaimed, forcing the teen to meet his gaze. And seeing the fear in Ezra's eyes, Kanan could now truly see how the vision had shaken him, and it almost physically hurt Kanan to see young Ezra scared.
"I will be right here, okay? If you start to have a vision, I'll wake you up. I won't leave your side."
Hesitance replaced the fear on Ezra's face. His bright blue eyes, always so observant, searched Kanan's face for any hint of a lie. Finding none, the teen slowly relaxed, tense shoulders falling.
"I...Okay."
Kanan inclined his head.
"Good. You're being very brave right now Ezra, I'm proud of you for that."
A flash of joy passed through the teen's eyes, and although it was gone just as quickly, Kanan knew that Ezra felt better, if only a little.
Placing a hand on the teen's head, Kanan ruffled the mess of raven hair.
"I'll go grab my bedroll." He said, standing up. "Don't go wandering off, kid. You need sleep."
Ezra grinned crookedly, nodding.
"Alright."
The teen watched his teacher leave, then his face fell as he clutched at his head. He had a splitting headache, and his throat ached. Standing, Ezra shuffled over to where his journal rested on a shelf. While the horrifying vision made him sick to his stomach, Ezra felt he just had to write it down, had to remember it...Just in case.
Switching on the datapad, he began to type, his fingers dashing back and forth across the glowing screen, the dim glow illuminating his face. The door suddenly slid open with a hiss, and Kanan entered, bedroll folded under his arm. He frowned when he saw Ezra with the datapad.
"Ezra." His tone was stern. "Put that away, you need to rest."
"Just a sec." Ezra mumbled, brow furrowed.
"Now, Padawan." Kanan said, holding out a hand expectantly.
Ezra huffed, quickly finishing the journal entry and shutting off the datapad. He then handed it over to the man, who set it back on the shelf. Kanan then arranged his bedroll beside the alcove in which Ezra's own pallet rested while his young student lay down, wrestling with his tangled blanket. Chuckling, Kanan helped him, and soon Ezra was curled up under the blankets. His mentor lay down with a sigh, shifting about slightly as he tried to get comfortable. A bright, electric blue eye peered over at Kanan.
"Thanks, Master. For everything."
The man smiled at him.
"Hey, what are friends for?"
Ezra simply hummed tiredly in return.
"G'night, Kanan."
A soft smiled, and Kanan took hold of Ezra's hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Good night Padawan."