[This chapter has been slightly edited]
Enjoy the chapter!
The two groups stood awkwardly in the meeting room, with Kanan and Hera looming over the rest.
"... Sup." Eli grinned nervously to lighten the mood.
Kanan closed his eyes with a sigh.
"Ezra," Kanan said, raising his voice slightly.
"Would you care to explain why there were three times the normal amount of Stormtroopers in the city when I got there?"
Ezra chuckled nervously. Eli cleared his throat.
"That... might have been on me."
Kanan glanced at Eli expectantly.
"Some random Stormtrooper thought I was Ezra." Eli explained.
Hera crossed her arms.
"Speaking of Ezra," The pilot's eyes glared at the young padawan.
"What were you doing in the city without backup?"
Ezra sighed and shrugged.
"I had a feeling, okay? Jedi stuff."
"We've been going by a lot of feelings lately," Zeb huffed.
Ezra made a face at the lasat, who made one right back.
"Great. Since that's out of the way..." Kanan shifted his eyes over to the group squished onto one bench.
"...What's the Shane gang doing on Lothal?"
Ezra held up his hands.
"This one's not on me."
Trixie puffed a strand of hair out of her face.
"We'd like to know that too," She sighed.
Chopper beeped grumpily from the hallway.
"Wh- again, Chop?" Hera groaned tiredly.
"Kanan, help me out up front, would you? And as for you guys,"
The twi'lek nodded towards the Shane gang, still uneasy from seeing the sun for the first time.
"I guess... sit tight. We'll figure something out when everything's sorted out."
Kanan nodded, glancing over at the twins.
"You two take the time to catch up a bit."
As Kanan and Hera disappeared down the hallway, Eli stole a quick glance at Junjie. He hadn't really found the time to mention Ezra back in Slugterra. I mean, how would he even bring it up? Hey, Junjie, what's up? Oh, by the way, I have a long-lost twin brother who lives in space!
Even in his head it sounded stupid.
Ezra nudged Eli on the shoulder.
He tilted his head forward, then towards Junjie. Then, he made a talking gesture with his hand.
"Now," He mouthed.
Eli saw that as his cue.
"Junjie," He started, stepping aside so he could see clearly.
"I'd like you to meet my twin, Ezra."
As if on instinct, Junjie stood up and bowed his head.
Ezra raised an eyebrow, then shook his head and smiled.
"I should probably explain the rest of the story..." Eli began.
"It's a miracle that you guys decided to step outside again." Eli chuckled.
While everyone else stood in the warmth of the lazing Lothal sun, the Shane gang chose to sit in the shadow of the Ghost.
Ezra shrugged.
"Call it progress." He said humorously.
"How'd you guys even get up here?"
Eli reached a hand into his arsenal of slugs.
"Well... I'm guessing it was these guys." He said. Out he lifted the Elemental slugs, chirruping after a rough night's sleep.
"New slugs?" Ezra pet one on the head with a finger.
"Yeah, sort of. They're called the Elementals. They're pretty much the ancestors of all the slugs in Slugterra, not to mention the most powerful."
Ezra whistled, quickly drawing back his hand.
"So how'd you guys end up with them?"
"It's a really long story."
Ezra rolled his eyes.
"Still doesn't explain how you got here."
Eli rubbed his neck as the slugs started to run around, playing in the tall grass.
"It's kinda complicated, now that I think about it. Maybe it has something to do with reaching velocity at the same time?"
"I suppose anything's possible, given the circumstances."
Junjie shrugged, walking as far as the Ghost's shadow would go beside the twins.
The three jumped as a patch of grass burst into flames as the Fire Elemental jumped through the field.
"I've got it!"
Eli quickly fired an Aquabeek to rouse the fire, which went out with a hiss.
"That reminds me," Eli turned to Ezra.
"Where are the slugs I gave you?"
Ezra's grin only grew as he held out his arms.
One by one, five slugs hopped out of his backpack and down to his hands.
Eli bent down to get a closer look.
"How long were you practicing that?" He said jokingly.
Ezra turned a shade red.
"Like... five weeks or so?"
"Five?" Sabine called from a distance.
"Fine. Seven. And three days."
Eli resisted a snort.
"You don't mind introducing me to your slugs?"
"He was gonna whether you liked it or not," Zeb sniggered as he passed by.
Ezra stole a glare at Zeb. Then he held up his hands so Eli could see.
"Eli, this is Spes, Gemini, Nexu, Cor, and... well, you've already met Aliit."*
Aliit, Eli already knew was a Flaringo.
Spes was clearly a Slicksilver slug.
Gemini was a Hoverbug.
Nexu was a Rammstone.
Cor was a Frostcrawler.
"I have to admit, they've been a pretty big help over the past couple of months." Sabine said as Gemini fluttered above her head.
"Yesterday Aliit blew up his first Walker!"
At this, Aliit literally lit up with pride.
"Walker?" Eli asked.
"Basically a giant imperial land shooter with legs," Ezra explained.
"Huh."
Eli still found it hard to believe he once lived here on Lothal.
Kanan and Hera listened from just inside the ramp of the Ghost.
"The kids seem to be getting along just fine," Hera smiled.
Kanan took another glance outside. Both crews had merged into one big group, telling stories to each other.
"Eli and Ezra have been apart for like, what, eight years? They've been talking for a few minutes and it's like they've known each other for their whole lives!"
Hera crossed her arms, leaning against the wall.
"Funny how life works, doesn't it?"
Kanan opened his mouth to say something when Chopper beeped urgently.
Hera opened up a message and listened.
"That was Vizago," Hera sighed once the message was done.
"He says he has another job for us."
Kanan looked up.
"Hera, I don't really think it's a good time for an op, seeing that the Shane gang's here and all..."
The twi'lek placed a gentle hand on Kanan's shoulder.
"Hun, we could really use the credits. Besides,"
Hera nodded her head towards the twins, who were both on their feet competing to tell the best story.
"Ezra could really use the time with Eli. It'll be fun."
Kanan sighed.
"I'm probably going to regret this."
* All of Ezra's slugs were named with a special meaning. I'll leave it to you guys to figure it out!