AN: So I decided to update early… Yeah. See, I really need to finish this because it would be a pain to have to update this story, Light of Liberty Arc III and Sanctioned by an angel at one time… So this should be done by Saturday.
So for you real hardcore Anakin/Ahsoka fans, read Sanctioned by an Angel, especially in light of… well, you'll see. You'll adore it. I promise and Leia's just so cute and innocent… Maybe.
So not much to say except I enjoyed writing this… I'll elaborate at the end.
Read, enjoy, and review!
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Part Nine
"Ami," Mé said to her cousin determined to convince her to turn around before she actually went through with leaving. "Are you sure about this? Won't you be scared?"
"Don't ask me again Mé. You won't change my mind," Ami said continuing to lead the way to the ships hidden in the forest.
"Ami!" Mé said stomping her foot on the moist ground.
"So how far Ami?" Matthew asked.
Ami stopped. "The waterfall is that way, so the ruins are in the opposite direction," she said continuing towards the ships.
"Ruins!" Mé said.
"Relax. I've been to them before. There's nothing to be afraid of," Ami said continuing.
Nonetheless, Mé walked much closer to Ami than she had been before.
"Are you sure she's going to make it back okay on her own?" Matthew asked.
"She better," Ami muttered and then Mé screamed when she ran into a rainbow colored furry thing.
"Get away," she said.
Matthew looked up and rolled his eyes at the monkey-like creature. "It's just a woolamander. Maybe you should go back Mé."
"I'm fine," Mé said and pointed ahead. "Look. There's the temple."
"Then that means my statement was on cue," Matthew said. "It's time for you to go back."
Mé glared at Matthew. "Stay out of this you," she said pulling Ami away from Matthew to talk to her privately.
"Ami," Mé said nervously, eyes darting to Matthew for a moment. "You can't leave with Matthew. I think you'd be better going alone."
"And then what?" Ami snapped. "Everyone would look at me like a child. I need him. Besides, he's not afraid of the dark side, which means he's not afraid of me. We'll help each other."
"Ami," Mé said. "When I was back there and looked at his face I had… I had a dream."
"A vision you mean?" Ami asked.
Mé shrugged. "It was something dark. I think he's trying to trick you Ami. We have to go back."
Ami wasn't sure whether she should listen to Mé or not. She overheard her parents saying that Mé wasn't exactly gifted in the force, lots of potential, but Mé just wasn't that interested in learning the way of the Jedi. She liked learning how to use weapons and spy like her mother. But something she did have was the gift of premonition which her father said that once she learned how to control would make her formidable opponent. However as it was, Mé couldn't control her premonitions, so they were never clear enough to give her a full picture.
"Mé, you can't even control your visions. How do I know you weren't seeing us flying in space or something," Ami asked.
"I have a bad feeling about this Ami. Please! Why do you have to run away? You seem to like Ahsoka. If you want to run away sneak on grandpa's ship when they leave but please don't go with Matthew. There's a bad thing," Mé said with tears in her eyes.
Ami frowned and snatched her arm from Mé.
"Why is it that every time I make a friend everyone has something to say about it," she snapped.
"Because all your friends are dark. You like the darkness." Mé said simply.
Ami sighed. For a seven year old Mé could sure be annoying with some of the things she said. Ami hated the darkness.
"Just go back to the Praxeum Mé. Can you find your way back?"
Mé nodded and sighed as she turned on her heal to go back.
Ami went toward Matthew and sighed.
"No one understands Matthew," she muttered.
"I understand Ami. I'll help you control your darkness the best way I can. The dark side is nothing to be afraid of," Matthew said putting a comforting hand on her back.
Ami walked with him towards the temple.
Ahsoka.
Ami stopped.
"What's wrong?"
Ami blinked. "It's nothing," she said continuing to walk.
Ahsoka go back. You don't have to be afraid of the darkness.
Ami stopped again. She knew that voice.
"Grandma," she muttered and then the world melted around her into nothing but black space. She looked around. Where had everything gone?
"Ahsoka baby."
Ami whirled around and turned to see someone she hadn't laid eyes on in five years, mainly because she was supposed to be dead.
"Grandma," she said in disbelief and the spirit nodded before Ami ran to her and wrapped her arms around her.
"Hello little one."
"Grandma," Ami said burying her face in the woman's stomach taking in her scent. "I missed you."
"I know sweetheart."
"Why haven't you come before now?"
Padmé sighed as she bent down to get eye to eye with Ami.
"Because it would have made it difficult for you to let me go Ami, more difficult than it was," Padmé added seeing Ami getting ready to argue.
"It would have been better if you had come," Ami said.
"No it would've made it harder for you to bond with your mother. But it looks like that happened anyway," Padmé said in a sad tone.
"Why should I bond with my mother? Not like she wants me around," Ami muttered.
Padmé shook her head. "Ahsoka, that's not true. You mother loves you very much. But you're not giving her a chance and she doesn't understand what you're going through."
"She should. She's supposed to be my mother."
"Ahsoka, I know you think that because Leia's your mother she should automatically know what you're feeling. But she can't read you if you always close yourself off and block yourself from her," Padmé pointed out.
"But… I'm scared. I don't want them to see the darkness. They don't get it," Ami said putting her head on Padmé's shoulder.
"But they'd try to help you. And you're wrong. There is someone who understands how you're feeling."
"Ahsoka?" Ami whispered and Padmé nodded. "But my mother hates her."
"She's just having a hard time letting go of the past. But you can help her do that if you open up to Leia," Padmé advised. "Ahsoka, running away isn't the answer. You have to go back."
"But-."
"It'll always come back if you don't deal with it sweetheart, and if you don't believe me talk to Ahsoka. She's knows that better than anyone. She ran away only to have to come back and have to face Ani, face the darkness," Padmé said pulling Ami away from her. "You can't let your fear guide your actions. That's part of what being a Jedi is all about. Overcome your fears and everything will work out fine."
Padmé started to fade away.
"Wait," Ami said putting her hands on Padmé face. "Don't go mama. I love you."
"I love you too little one. I'll always be with you," she said and faded away completely.
The world melted back into view and Ami became aware of the fact that she was still walking towards the ruins with Matthew.
Running away isn't the answer.
Ami stopped walking and turned to look at a retreating Mé.
"Mé wait," she said starting to go after her.
"What are you doing?" Matthew asked startled.
"I can't do it. I'm going back," Ami said starting to go after Mé who had stopped and was looking at the two in confusion.
"What are you talking about? We're almost there," Matthew asked.
Ami shook her head, her grandmother's words coming back to her. "I… I can't leave. I have to stay," she said heading toward Mé. "I'm sorry I dragged you all this way for nothing. Let's go back. Maybe my uncle will reward you somehow."
"No," Matthew said grabbing Ami's arm and pulling her back roughly. "We're leaving now."
Ami snatched her arm back. "Why do you want to leave so bad? What's wrong with you?"
"The question is what's wrong with you. They're not going to help you. Can't you see the dark side is your destiny?"
Ami frowned. Matthew wasn't at all sounding like a Jedi.
"What are you talking about?" Ami asked stepping back from him.
"You almost had it my young friend. You were beginning to free yourself from the restraints of the Jedi, even without my help. I can show you a different way, where we don't teach you to abandon your anger or darkness. Come with me and I can teach you," Matthew urged.
"Teach me what?" Ami asked.
"The dark side of the force," Matthew said calmly.
"Who are you?" Ami snapped.
"An old friend of the family," Matthew replied.
Ami started to run away but Matthew grabbed her with the intention of forcing Ami in the other direction.
"Let me go!" Ami said snatching her arm back and falling on the ground in the process.
"I don't have time for this," Matthew muttered this time trying to grab Ami's arm again, intent on dragging her if he had to.
"Leave her alone!" Mé yelled and threw a hard smooth stone at Matthew's head with deadly accuracy.
Matthew fell back holding his head and Ami ran over to Mé.
"Good aim," Ami muttered to her as they looked at the fallen boy.
"Mom's been helping me practice," Mé said.
Ami looked back at Matthew who was starting to get back up. "Come on we have to get back to the Praxeum."
Ami and Mé wasted no time trying to put as much distance between them and Matthew as they could but it was to no avail. Ami sensed the boy come up behind him long before Mé did, if she ever did, and moved out the way. But Mé wasn't so fortunate as Matthew had grabbed her by her small neck and lifted her off the ground.
"Leave her alone!"
"Not until you accept your destiny," Matthew shouted.
"No! You use the dark side," Ami shouted.
"Then your cousin dies," he said.
"Ami, help me," Mé said terrified.
"Let her go!" Ami said starting to charge at Matthew but when he only tightened his grip on Mé she stopped. She froze and cried out, "Matthew, stop it!"
"Ami!" Mé choked.
"No," Ami said. "Okay. I'll go with you. Just let her go."
Matthew did let her go, but not the way Ami want him to. He threw her off to the side of his. Mé laid on the ground moaning.
"Mé," Ami said running to her.
"I'm okay," Mé said trying to sitting up and abruptly falling back down as she had a coughing fit.
"No you aren't," Ami said. "Come on."
"You're not going anywhere Ami," Matthew said. "You will come with me now. And I'll show you your true potential."
Ami glared at him and stood up. "I'll show you my true potential," she said and with a speed and power that surprised the boy, forced pushed him. If it hadn't been for the tree that stopped his throw, Ami was positive he would be half a kilometer away.
She stepped over Mé to meet Matthew as he almost literally flew toward her and proceeded to slam her into a tree.
"You leave her alone," Mé said taking out a blaster and shooting at Matthew who only summoned the blaster from her and aimed it at her.
Ami kicked Matthew in his distraction and snatched the blaster back before force pushing him back aiming at him as he landed neatly on his feet.
"You had a blaster! Where in the world were you hiding it and why didn't you take it out before?" Ami asked aiming it clumsily at the boy cursing the fact that her mother kept them far out of her children's reach, not even bothering to show them how to use one.
"I have two robes. One is for every day and one is the one I put on in emergencies. Mom added a secret pocket to it to conceal a blaster," Mé explained rubbing her sore neck.
"Aunt Mara has got to show me that stuff one day," Ami said pulling the trigger to the blaster as many times as she could.
To her surprise though, Matthew took out a red light saber and blocked the bolts with an accuracy that no padawan his age just coming to the Praxeum should have. Ami herself wasn't even that talented.
Ami screamed and dropped her blaster when one of the deflected bolts hit her in the hand. A second hit her in her leg. She collapsed on the ground and held the stinging part of her leg.
Mé crawled over to her and struggled to help Ami get up so they could get away, but Matthew was on her with the light saber pointed at her chest.
"Leave her alone," Ami said.
"She's too much trouble to me to be left alive," Matthew said.
"She's only seven," Ami snapped, not that she was much older, but she wasn't about to let anyone kill her cousin.
"It's what she'll grow into that troubles me," Matthew replied and got ready to pierce Mé's chest.
"No!"
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"Where are we going?" Leia asked Ahsoka as she led then down the hall.
"Do you have anywhere outside the ground of the Praxeum that's for an emergency escape or something?" Ahsoka asked.
"Yes. It's at one of the ruins but why-?"
Ahsoka cut Mara off saying, "Ami's trying to leave the planet and I think Matthew is with her."
"Why would you think that?" Mara asked.
"I've been having visions… They're confusing, but something's not right with that Matthew boy," Ahsoka said.
"And running away is exactly Ami's style. She would try to get off the planet after something like that," Leia said knowingly.
"Then follow me," Mara said. "There's a passage under the Praxeum to get there."
"Ami didn't want to be found so she wouldn't risk going back in the Praxeum," Leia said. "She went through the forest."
"But going underground is quicker."
"Then you go underground and we'll cut her off both ways," Ahsoka said. "Get Luke and Anakin while you're at it."
Ahsoka and Leia ran out the temple and through the forest toward the ruins where the escape ships were.
"Ami!" Leia yelled as the two slowed down so as not to run into anything malicious in the forest. "Ami!"
"Leave her alone!" they heard Ami's voice clearly say to someone.
"Amidala," Ahsoka said as both she and Leia ran to where they heard the girl. It's wasn't just her voice they were following though. Mé was with her, as well as something dark.
"No!"
Leia's light saber was lit without thought and she jumped between the two children and the boy threatening to kill them, blocking the red saber with her own blue one.
"Don't you know it's not wise to get in the way of a mother protecting her child?" Leia snapped.
"You okay?" Ahsoka said bending down behind Leia to the two terrified girls.
"Ahsoka," Ami said trying to ignore the pain in her hand and leg. "Matthew… He knows the dark side. But Mé came with us and got in the way. He tried to kill her. He wanted me to…"
"He wanted you to be his new apprentice," Ahsoka said turned her head slowly toward the boy.
"What?" Ami asked.
Ahsoka stood up next to Leia lighting her own green light saber. "That's no padawan learner."
"It's been a long time my old friend," Matthew said to Ahsoka.
"It hasn't been long enough. And we're not friends… Palpatine."
"Palpatine?" Leia said surprised and then looked at the boy. "But he's dead and this is just a boy."
"Don't let his appearance fool you," Ahsoka said glaring at him. "That's Palpatine. He had clones of himself made before he died so he could be reborn in them. I just happened to stumble upon the reports for it and infiltrated the base before destroying it."
"What? How…?" Leia was stunned.
"It wasn't easy. He had it protected by part of the fleet. Anyway, I thought I got them all, but I always had this feeling that I might have missed one somewhere," Ahsoka said.
"I guess this proves you did," Leia said as Palpatine pulled his light saber back.
"You shouldn't have come here," Palpatine said and then smiled. "But no matter. I'll kill you first. Ami just won't be able to participate in my revenge against the Skywalker family."
"Over our dead body," Ahsoka hissed.
"So be it," Palpatine said and attack Ahsoka and Leia.
Palpatine hummed. "The dark side is still strong inside you my old apprentice," he said to Ahsoka. "Yet you fight it and it makes you weaker. You were foolish to abandon your destiny, the dark side."
"No," Ahsoka said twisting Palpatine's red light saber from Leia's shoulder. "I was a fool to turn to it in the first place. And I'll die before I let you twist Ami like that."
"And you will," Palpatine declared.
"Not if I help her," Leia said, her saber clashing loudly with Palpatine's.
Ahsoka took the opportunity to strike Palpatine from behind but the man force pushed her away.
Mé pulled Ami to her feet and leaned her against her.
"We have to get out of here," Mé said but Ami wasn't even trying to move, her gaze fixed on the duel taking place in front of her.
"Wow…" she said looking at them. It was one thing to see a sparring match but it was a completely different thing to see a real duel.
"Come on Ami!" Mé said trying to pull her cousin away.
"I…" Ami couldn't find words for how beautiful the scene before her was. Sure the long-thought-dead Sith master was trying to kill her mother and Ahsoka to get to her, but Ahsoka and her mother made a great team. She had never seen her mother move like that. Suddenly she wondered why her mother hated Ahsoka even more. They had a similar fighting style. Something like a student and teacher…
"Ami!" Mé shouted.
"Wha-?" Ami screamed when she saw the lightning coming towards her from Palpatine.
"Ami!" Leia yelled and leapt from where she was to deflect the attack.
"Mom," Ami whispered.
"Ami get away. Go find your grandpa. He's the only one strong enough to take Palpatine," Leia said. "Especially in this younger body. I can't hold him off for long."
"But mom," Ami said forgetting that she was mad at her mother earlier.
"Just do it Ami!" Leia snapped and Ami nodded grabbing Mé's hand and limping away from them.
"You're not going anywhere," Palpatine snarled overpowering Leia, the lightning sending her flying into a nearby rock.
The two girls screamed as Palpatine appeared in from of them.
"Run away, Mé," Ami said pushing Mé the other way. "He wants me."
"No," Mé said taking out a knife (Ami really had to ask her aunt Mara how to do all that stuff) and stabbing an unsuspecting Palpatine in the shoulder. He growled and grabbed Mé's wrist throwing her aside.
"You leave her alone!" Ami screamed at him causing a ripple in the force for the second time that day as a shock wave went through the area that knocked Palpatine off his feet. Ami then went for the light saber in his hand, but even still recovering from the shock of the shockwave, Palpatine in his young body was stronger than her.
He threw her to the ground and stood up advancing on her with his light saber raised. Ami tried to crawl away from him afraid that now he was trying to kill her.
"You're too much trouble," he said.
"If you kill me, you can't make me your apprentice," Ami said smugly trying to delay him as long as she could. She had to give Ahsoka and her mother a chance to recover.
"I don't plan to kill you, but this will be your first lesson my apprentice. Obey your master," he said and snatched her hand up by the wrist.
"Let me go you creep!" Ami yelled realizing he was about to cut off her hand.
Palpatine ignoring her and Ami winced when she felt the heat of the light saber teasing her flesh.
"Stop right there Sidious."
Both Ami and Palpatine turned to look at the torgruta woman who was back from wherever Palpatine had thrown her. Ami looked over at her and paused. She sensed the dark side.
"Hm… I sense the dark side in you my former apprentice. It seems you haven't abandoned it as you so claim," Palpatine said letting go of Ami burnt, but thankfully still attached, wrist.
"Oh believe me. For the most part I have," Ahsoka said twirling her lightsaber. "But I'll gladly take it back up again if it means sending you back to the grave permanently."
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AN: This reminded me of a time me and a friend ganged up on a guy that was twice our age (we were just playing) and though it was hopeless from the beginning, we kept trying to take him out and wouldn't give up much to his annoyance. I hadn't realized I had the experience until I thought about some of my younger years and realized that I had a similar, but playful experience at the school I went to. Sixteen years old seemed so old and intimidating back then…
Anywho, since this is another cliffy, I think I've overstayed my welcome. So I'll run and hide under my bed as you all raid my house with torches and pitchforks.
Hope you enjoyed. Review Please! (runs away with laptop in hand).
