Chapter 7: Through the Woods

The Rigger landed in the location around the area of what Rayrsoll considered to be the location of the entity he felt. Ahsoka had her doubts about Rayrsoll's trick but she remembered that the force can do strange things, as she herself saw and experienced in the Clone Wars. They landed in a big enough clearing in the meadow for the Rigger to fit in. As both Jedi looked out the window, they saw the lush forest of the Japanese countryside.

"Hey Ray, you sure this is where you felt the force? Because there is nothing here but wilderness." Ahsoka said to Rayrsoll.

"Not here, but close to here." Rayrsoll replied.

"So why not land their?"

"Two reasons. Not a big enough landing zone that was safe for the ship and plus if you think about it, just landing in a public place where there's even a small enough population in wild space would bring a lot of unwanted attention to us. And attention is the last thing we want right now."

"I guess that's true, but even still…"

"Plus the fact that it has been years since we saw him, I think the best approach involves a little subtlety rather than the flash and pony show in on this planet."

"Point taken, so you wanna go tonight?"

"No, lets save it for tomorrow, I need to meditate and come up with an approach, besides its too dark to go now and we have no knowledge of the area right now. When daylight comes, I'll head out and you watch the ship."

"Why me?"

"It's your ship after all, and it will need its captain." Ahsoka agreed with Rayrsoll and decided to call it a night after shutting off the ship.

The next day at the house was a clear day, Ame and Yuki where having breakfast with their mother. Ame kept thinking about the dream he had the other night, as if it weren't a dream, but rather something more. Hana saw that in his eyes something was bothering him. She decided to ask.

"Ame, are you ok?" Hana asked Ame.

"Um, yeah, just didn't sleep good." Ame responded.

"Really, are you feeling sick?" Hana asked as she checked his head for a fever.

"No, just had a weird dream last night."

"About what?"

"I can't really remember, all I remember is some hooded man and then a beam of light. That's pretty much it." Ame then didn't feel fear, but rather curiosity. Who was the man in the hood? Why did he appear in his dream? And why didn't he shy away? Hana then gave Ame a look with a smile and reassured him it was only a dream. Him, along with Yuki and his mother continued breakfast to later go play outside.

Ahsoka was reconfiguring the control panels to be sure that all was in order. Her Rigger has been through some tough time, yet still held together. She thought about how much credits she put into this bucket-o-bolts and what she could have bought with the money. Then she realizes that this ship was one type she couldn't get rid of it. Her former master Anakin flew this along with her and now she holds on to the Rigger for old time's sake. She often wonders what happened to Anakin. Did he survive? Did the Empire kill him? Should she have stayed to save him or at least others back on Coruscant? Now that was in the past, this was her life now.

Rayrsoll was in the crew room meditating on where he sensed the force's source. It was close bust still a distance away. He then began to narrow it down to a small location in a forest. He then saw a small road leading to a structure, there it was, where the man he called friend was staying. He came out of the meditation and got up to begin his journey. As he got out of the room, he ran into Ahsoka checking on the vent systems for the ship. "How's the ship so far?" Rayrsoll asked Ahsoka.

"Holding together as usual Ray. Did you get a mark?" Ahsoka asked.

"As close as I can get. I'm actually about to head out to find it."

"Well hold on, before you go, I got something you may want to use." Ahsoka led Rayrsoll to a package in the cockpit. Inside, he found the cloak and robes of a Jedi. The feel and sight of it gave him back the sensation of what his order wore as well as what gave him solace and saw use in the robes, to show that the Jedi are still alive.

"Ahsoka, where did you find these?" Rayrsoll asked Ahsoka.

"Lets just say as a smuggler, you can get your hands on anything. Client confidentiality is my gurantee." Ahsoka answered.

"That's fine, I won't ask who it was. The other question I have is will they fit."

"One way to find out Ray." Ahsoka said, then leaving Rayrsoll to try on the robes.

Ame and Yuki were outside trying to figure what to play. Ame was still wondering how to interpret his dream. Yuki saw that he wasn't contributing to what was to be done for the day and got agitated.

"Ame, you're not helping!" Yuki yelled at Ame.

"Huh? What, I'm sorry." Ame responded.

"Were supposed to decide what we're going to play. Tag? Hide and see? Which one?"

"Oh, uhh, hide and seek I guess."

"Ok, let's play rock paper scissors to see who hides and who counts." The shook their fists three times to the rhyme and released their options. Ame pulled paper while Yuki pulled off scissors. "Ha! I hide you seek! Count to twenty and no peeking!" Yuki said turning to wolf form and running to the forest. Ame went to the side of the house and counted to twenty. Once he was done, he went to the forest to begin the game.

Rayrsoll came out of the cockpit in the robes he was given. A tan colored outfit with the brown cloak that all Jedi were given. Ahsoka gave him a smile to remember the time before Order 66 and a time when the Jedi were present. The clothing was a bit loose but not too much.

"Well, how does it feel?" Ahsoka asked Rayrsoll.

"Like I was seventeen again." Rayrsoll answered.

"Well it suits you. Ready to head out?"

"Almost, just one more thing." Rayrsoll raised his hand to his lightsaber, then the weapon flew from the desk and into his hand then to his side where it dangled. Now he was ready to head out. Ahsoka nodded in acknowledgement and reassured him the ship will be safe and that Okami would not forget his Jedi ways. Rayrsoll headed out from the ship and to the place where he felt the presence.

Ame was in the forest looking for his sister. He heard the voices of nature and yet not his sister. This was a challenge he did not want today. Not after last night and having his mind clouded in confusion. He tried to focus on the game but it was hard to do so. Then out of nowhere, he felt a presence, something strong and powerful, yet not hostile. The presence was close, but couldn't see it anywhere. He made looking for Yuki his top priority now. He started running all over where she would usually hide. Trees, boulders, small crawl spaces until finally the small shallow stream behind the rock, where she resided for the game.

"Ah man! My turn now!" Yuki said to Ame.

"No lets go home." Ame responded.

"Why? It's my turn to count."

"Please Yuki?" Yuki agreed reluctantly and decided go back home. Not knowing that the hooded figure was close and could see them heading home, which in a distance he followed. He sensed Ame's force in him and his sister. He had to follow them.

When they got home in the afternoon, Hana had lunch prepared for them. She saw the two, happy-go-luck Yuki and the timid Ame, yet as timid as ever. She got their plates ready and sat with them. As the meal commenced, Yuki told her mother about the game and how Ame was quick to go home. Ame just sat and ate his meal trying to forget about what he felt. Hana was bothered by this and wanted to know more.

"Ame, why did you end the game early?" Hana asked Ame, which he responded in silence. "Ame, I asked you a question." She said subtly.

"I don't know, I just felt that we should go home early and not play anymore for the day." Ame responded. Hana was troubled by this, why was Ame acting so reserved?

"I think Ame is getting a bit weird, more than usual." Yuki told Hana.

"Yuki, that's not nice." Hana responded sternly to Yuki.

"Well its true mom."

"Not now, finish your meals and clean your room." They proceeded to eat and the kids went to do their chores.

Outside the house, the hooded figure approached the house. He had never seen a structure like this before. After being on different planets and seeing different cultures, this one topped it for him. He went to the front door give his greeting. He knocked on the door and waited for a response. He was greeted by a woman with short black hair and in an apron.

"Hi there, can I help you." Hana asked the hooded man.

"Greetings, my name is Rayrsoll. I come seeking someone of great importance."