I realised I spelled lightsaber wrong in the first chapter. *sweats*

Chapter 2: Azure Realisations

"Relax. Focus. Breathe."

"I am," Kagami gritted. "But swinging at air with a stick isn't going to help me do anything."

Aomine sighed heavily, rolling his eyes. "Kagami, you're a bit too new to this for me to give you a lightsaber right away. And we have to kill time while Tetsu brings his ship over." He looked away. And for BB-X9 to find me. I hope you're alright, buddy. It was better for the two of them to stay in one place so they could find each other again. Splitting up too much with the Empire at their doorstep wasn't a wise move.

Kagami glowered at the stick in his hand. "I already know how to use a sword. My…my brother taught me. At least the basics."

Aomine narrowed his eyes. "Brother?" he repeated, jumping off the stone he had been sitting on cross-legged. "I was told there was only one Kagami left alive."

"He's not blood related," Kagami lowered his makeshift weapon. "And…Aomine, who told you? You just said my father was this great Jedi, and that the Empire is after me," Kagami closed his eyes. "It's a little hard to take in."

Aomine sighed again. "Well, truth be told, I wasn't expecting to find someone like you either."

Kagami scowled. "What's the fuck's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean, you're barely an adult. You're probably the same age as me, but unlike me, you haven't had any training," Aomine stepped closer. "You've lived your entire life out of harm's way. And yet, you used a Jedi mind trick like it was nothing." His navy gaze flickered over Kagami's face, and he cautiously reached out with his mind. As Kagami stared blankly back at him, he could sense it. Kagami was dangerous. If something went wrong, what was left of the Jedi…this man could burn it all down.

Thank fuck we found him first. Aomine didn't yet know how Akashi had managed that, but he had learnt not to question the Jedi Master. "Keep moving."

Kagami pouted, but did as he was told, moving through the stances that had been drilled into him by Himuro over the years.

"How does a chef know how to move like a knight?" Aomine grabbed another branch off the ground and walked up to Kagami, raising it like a blade.

"I don't know, but he used to be a lot more feisty than he is nowadays. He's mellowed out," Kagami replied, observing the Jedi for any openings. There weren't many. "We moved to Tamaria five years ago, back when I was a teenager. We've been moving around my whole life, and chefs always get jobs. People need a place to eat." He swung from the right and Aomine stepped aside, whirling around him and aiming for his side. Kagami jumped out of the way, his eyes meeting Aomine's slightly pleased ones.

"You're good," Aomine admitted, and Kagami felt a burst of pride. "But not good enough for a lightsaber," Aomine added with a wink. "Maybe in a few years-"

BANG.

The two men whirled around as a flock of birds fluttered from the trees in a panic, smoke curling up above the canopy. A red glow illuminated the night horizon.

"This is bad. They've reached Emora," Aomine muttered. "That was quick. I guess they didn't find what they were looking for, so they decided to destroy the city. Typical Empire."

Kagami's face drained of colour and his hands were clammy with sweat. "Tatsuya."

"What?"

Kagami grabbed Aomine's shoulders. "Tatsuya! He's back there! I told…I told him that Kuroko asked for help, so I would return soon, but he's still down there, Aomine!" he turned to leave but Aomine caught his arm.

"No, we have to leave. This is our chance, if we stay here, they will find us and send in more reinforcements," Aomine hissed. "Emora will take some damage, but it will be worse if they see us."

Kagami tore his arm away. "You are a Jedi! Why are you telling me to run?! Aren't you supposed to protect us?"

"I'm trying!" Aomine growled. "If they see you here, they will burn the entire planet looking for you! Instead, if we run, either we can lure them away or they will give up their search."

"I can't take that chance," Kagami shook his head. "I'm going, and you can't stop me. I have to make sure Tatsuya is safe." Another explosion drummed through the air.

Aomine glared at those stubborn crimson eyes and clicked his tongue. "Fine. Looks like I have no choice." Kagami tensed when Aomine parted his coat and removed a deactivated lightsaber. And then threw it at him. The surprised redhead caught it in mid-air, and as his fingers touched the metal, a weird thrum went through his muscles. His hand curled around the strangely familiar shape, as though he knew the weapon. As though he had wielded it before.

Aomine came up behind Kagami curled his own hand around Kagami's paler one, using Kagami's thumb to press the button on the hilt of the lightsaber. A scarlet beam of light expanded and he gripped the weapon around Kagami's hand, his dark eyes meeting red. His serious expression flickered in the crimson light.

"This button turns it on and off. Use it like a sword, but remember, this blade will burn anything it touches. It is a beam of pure energy," his voice brushed Kagami's ear. They took a few practice swings. "It is a weapon, to both your enemy and yourself. If it comes too close, it willburn you. Understand?"

Kagami nodded silently, mesmerised by the light and Aomine's low voice. "I thought you said I wasn't ready."

"It's not like you can go beat up Stormtroopers with a stick," Aomine said dryly, his grip tightening. "Akashi told me this was your father's. Maybe…you can connect with it. Make its experiences your own."

Kagami met Aomine's eyes and they looked at each other silently. Kagami cleared his throat. "Thanks."

Aomine stepped back as Kagami retracted the beam, hooking it onto his own belt. Aomine flashed his teeth in a grin. "Let's go rough up some Empire lackeys."

Kagami saw the carnage the second they stepped out of the forest that bordered the city. Buildings were up in flames and people screamed as they ran. Some took cover under pieces of rock that had fallen from the cliff faces, and those with weapons shot back in defence.

Kagami could see the store from his position and rushed forward just as Aomine grabbed his sleeve and pulled him back. The taller man pointed to a figure walking some distance off. The dirtied white armour and helmet with the attached gas mask identified him as an enemy Stormtrooper. Aomine placed a finger on his lips and crept forward. Kagami watched in awe as Aomine grabbed the man from behind, using the hilt of his lightsaber to hit the man on the side of his helmet. He dragged the unconscious body into the bushes, disarming him and tossing the blaster to Kagami.

"Use the blaster if you can. Leave the sabre as a last resort," he commanded.

"You didn't kill him?" Kagami asked.

"Jedi never senselessly kill. We are to only protect and defend, never to attack," Aomine sounded like he was reciting something. "If the guy had attacked me first, then I can't control the consequences. But where I can, I will." He gave Kagami a small smile. "Don't worry. When we make it out of here, they'll teach you all of that."

He grabbed Kagami's arm and dragged him out as they both ran onto the battlefield.

Kagami's eyes pinpointed a particular man as he crouched behind a rock, two Stormtroopers approaching him with their guns raised. "I see him-" Kagami's voice caught in his throat as he saw Himuro vault over the rock, kicking one enemy in the head. The body collapsed and he grabbed the man's blaster just as his companion turned towards the sound. He dropped to his knees, aimed, and shot once straight in the man's chest.

Himuro stood up, pushing his hair out of the way and turning around to meet Kagami's shocked gaze.

Himuro didn't want Kagami to find out this way. Never wanted Kagami to look at him with betrayal in his eyes.

Kagami had gone off with some street rat that asked for his help, promising Himuro he would be back soon. It suited Himuro just fine as he started to pack their bags. He'd known he would have to sooner or later, and the mention of a Star Destroyer at the edge of their solar system was enough to send him into action. He'd watched over Kagami for over a decade and that wasn't changing any time soon. He'd become a little relaxed on Tamaria, the weather and the relative safety a gentle escape from the violence in his past. But his days as a child spy for the Republic were over. Now he was tasked with looking after a dead Jedi Master's only son.

A boy he thought would be a nuisance when he had laid eyes on the bubbly six year old for the first time, back when he was only sixteen himself.

A boy he had come to love as a brother.

"Taiga…" he stepped forwards and Kagami stepped back. Pain pierced his heart, but what was he to expect?

"Tatsuya…" Kagami whispered, then his eyes flitted to the side. Himuro's eyes widened as he turned around, seeing the trooper too late, closed his eyes just as a gust of air rushed past him.

A blue blade deflected the laser shot, and another and another. It swung in beautiful sapphire arcs, emitting sounds like the wind as it sliced the gun cleanly in half. The Jedi bolted forwards and landed a solid kick in the soldier's breastplate, lifting a hand so that the body floated in the air.

"Empire bitches," Aomine murmured, before throwing the body against the wall of a cliff, where it crumpled to a heap on the ground with a groan.

Kagami shook his head in disbelief. Jedi were really something else. Would he too, one day, be able to do something as amazing as that, and so effortlessly?

"Your father was better."

Kagami looked at Himuro, whose eyes were downcast. "You…knew him?"

"Not as well as I'd liked to have. I was very young." Himuro smiled, misery in his eyes. "My mission was to keep you away from the Empire. Looks like I failed. And now not only has the Empire found you, but so have the Jedi," he glanced at Aomine, who was walking back calmly towards them.

"Mission?" Kagami spat. "I was a mission? Who ordered you?" his voice cracked. "Has everythingbeen a lie?"

"No, of course not," Himuro placed a hand on Kagami's cheek, wiping off a tear Kagami didn't know was there. "You are my precious brother, and I only want you to be safe. But there are some things…we can't run from."

"Then…what are you running from?"

Himuro paused, but before he could answer, Aomine grabbed Kagami's shirt and pulled him back.

"I don't know who you are," Aomine said, his voice hard. "But it looks like you're plenty safe to me. Kagami, we have to leave."

"Aomine, just wait-"

"Oh, fuck no!" Aomine's voice grew urgent and Kagami followed his line of sight to the edge of the cliffs that surrounded Emora. Dozens of soldiers, their guns and artillery aimed down at the city. "I knew this city had a really bad location!"

Kagami felt his stomach drop as a wave of small glowing spots were fired from all around the cliff edge, headed downwards in a perfect circle. They were laser missiles.

It washed over him like cool water, the realisation that the entire city would be flattened.Because of him. Because he was here, because he could not save anyone.

And that was when time froze, and every white beam of destructive light that pointed at them was suspended in mid-air, as though stuck in glass.

And he felt it, like a strange energy coursing through his veins.

He could feel every heartbeat of every creature, every fluttering feather of every bird, every speck of dust thrown up in the hot air, every crumbling rock and flowing river on the surface of Tamaria, like it was connected to him. Connected through some mysterious field that permeated everything.

It simultaneously took his breath away and filled him with life.

Kagami looked around him, looked at the destruction, looked at the pain and the suffering. And that connection inside him, it twisted with pain. The pain of not knowing anything, the pain of losing everything. The pain of being helpless, useless, abandoned.

And it made him angry, angry enough to wish that everything that ever hurt him would stop. And he felt it, the connection, and it burned. He knew in that moment that he could do anything. He could use his pain, and his anger, and he could do anything.

So he commanded the attacks. Commanded them to stop, and fly back to where they came from.

Fly back and burn, destroy everything that had dared to hurt what he held close.

And the awed silence of the crowds staring at the unmoving missiles was broken when the beams veered back. It was broken by the screams of the enemies as they fell to the floor over a hundred feet under them, lit on fire by the very weapons they used.

And he felt his lips smile.

Aomine could not believe what he had seen. The entire wave of attack, rebounded by a novice using the Force. He glanced at Kagami's awed expression, and felt an uneasiness he didn't like at all.

Suddenly, a bright light flashed down on them and he shielded his eyes. More enemy ships?

But as he peered through his fingers, he saw to his joy his very own Starfighter coming to a land in front of them, the wind scattering bits of wood and embers around them. And beside it landed another ship, slightly larger - a two-seater. Both the cockpits popped open, and Kuroko jumped out of the bigger one while a familiar round droid rolled out of the other.

"BB-X9!" Aomine grinned, rubbing the warm metal. BB-X9 clicked and beeped back happily.

Kuroko glanced up and around at the carnage, his pale blue eyes lingering on the clifftops. "Kagami-kun, get in. We must go."

Kuroko's words snapped Kagami out of his reverie, and he blinked around him as though seeing everything for the first time. "Oh, yeah. C-can Tatsuya come with us?" he asked, rubbing his forehead.

Kuroko shook his head sadly. "There isn't enough room."

"I can't leave him-"

Himuro clutched his arms. "Taiga, I'll be fine. You're more important. Go with the Jedi. The Empire is not after me, they are after you. And I can take care of myself."

Kagami opened his mouth to argue, but held his words back and nodded tentatively as Kuroko led him into the ship. Aomine was about to walk to his own when Himuro grabbed his elbow.

"Jedi, take care of him, for my sake."

Aomine nodded. "You have my word." He couldn't leave Kagami. And he didn't want to. The redhead had a sharp tongue, but he...he was different, like a breath of fresh air to Aomine's bleak life.

Himuro swallowed. "But more so…" his face was shadowed, as though plagued with the remnants of a memory best forgotten. "Make sure he doesn't fall to the darkness. For everyone's sake."

Aomine's gaze followed Kagami as Kuroko helped him sit down in the ship. "I promise," he said, leaving the man behind.

He settled in his own Starfighter, buckling himself and lowering the door. The ships rose and Emora's burning ruins became smaller underneath them, but the Empire's presence had been wiped out completely thanks to Kagami's…display. "Where are our next co-ordinates, BB-X9?"

Kuroko's voice crackled through the speakers. "Qua-Ren."

Aomine could hear Kagami complain about the seat-belts over the comm and he couldn't help his lips twitch a little. Then Kuroko's words registered. "Qua-Ren?" His eyes narrowed. "What is Akashi thinking?"

"I don't know," Kuroko's voice sounded just as confused as Aomine felt. "But we should get there fast. It won't be long before more of them come."

"Agreed," Aomine pressed his lips together.

"Ouch! The buckle pinched me!"

Aomine rolled his eyes. "Shut up, Kagami. BB-X9, you heard Kuroko." He took a deep breath. This would be fun. "Set a course for Qua-Ren."

I had planned this to last only 3 chapters but...this may or may not become four chapters, depending on the length of the next one, but it might just fit in only three! ;D It's just that my stuff always gets longer than expected. It's like the characters have a mind of their own. TwT

Thanks for reading! Comments are lifeblood. :D

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