Hello there, again!
It seems the fantastic stories we got from the TCW team in the past month, have hyped me up quite a bit. I can't even recall when had I work on a story this hard for the last time! :DDD
This chapter is still a little bit for resting, but I promise, soon Secrets Will Be Revealed in my tiny Alternate Reality too! XD
I must admit, the ideas that I'll work out in the next few chapters were greatly influenced by rewatching some cartoons, I haven't met in quite sometime-I won't tell which ones, after all that would spoil all my plans! Unfortunately since these plot bunnies bring big changes in the overall picture of the story, I don't really know if it will work out well.
SO PLEASE EVERYONE!
Give me some concretes, about what do you like/don't like about the story, what should I work on etc. in a min 20-40 words review. In exchange, I promise I'll do my best to write one review of equal length and value to one story of your chosie.
Ahsoka320: Well, if I didn't stop there, what quarantee would had left for me, that you guys and girls'd come back? ;)
AldamonBurst: Don't overdo it just yet, it's most likely that this story will be much more "juicy" as it progresses. I didn't gave it "T" this time, just to be on the safe side! ;Đ
I hope you'll enjoy, and esspecially hope for some useful help.
Flashback
Anakin felt totally humilated. Not because he had to apology. But because of what he had to apology for. He couldn't believe, he'd been so stupid, so reckless, to compliment on Ahsoka –his sixteen-year-old student- on such a baffling way -in front of a Council Member nontheless! On one hand he was grateful, it had been Obi-Wan, and not someoneelse –particularly not Plo Koon, who avowedly viewed the girl as his niece -, but it made the whole situation even more embarrassing at the same time.
„Wait a minute, why should I feel bad? Ok, neither as a Jedi, neither as her teacher, I shouldn't have said that at all, and esspecially not dip it on her like that, but basicly there's nothing wrong, with praising a girl, right?" he thought as he went after her. However, what really scared him, was how Ahsoka reacted. The shock and fright on her face… She really must had felt embarassed, and he could totally understand it. He couldn't even imagine, what would had he done, in a reverse situation. „I hope I didn't scare her too much…I'd hate it, if because of this incident, I had to hand her training over to another master, or if it ruined our friendship…no, she's not just a friend. She's more like a sister to me."
„Oh is she, now?" he asked himself. „Aren't you just trying to lie to yourself? When you said that compliment, you didn't look at her, like one looks at his sister."
„How would I know, I don't have a sister!"
„But, if you had one, it would be really bad, if you had the same thoughts about her, like the ones you had, when Ahsoka's cleavage grabbed your eyes." Anakin felt his face redden. For some reason he already hated this new, witty voice of his conscience- it reminded him too much to Obi-Wan.
„Oh, just shut up, will'ya! I can't believe that, I'm so confused, I'm actually arguing with myself!" he finally arrived to Ahsoka's room. He raised his hand to sign at the control-panel, but he froze. For some reason he really didn't want to have this discussion.
„I could just turn back…Probably it would be for the best…No! I owe her as much, as not just pretend it never happened!" But he still couldn't move.
„What are you afraid of, if you're really thinking about her just as a sister?"
„I'm not afraid! And she IS like a sister to me!"
„Then why is your hand shaking? And why are you hesitating? Which are you more scared about? The hoped, or the reasonable reaction?"
„I already told you, to SHUT UP!" he again, tried to sign, but his hands refused to make other movements than shaking violently. He stood there for a few minutes, until he was able to regain control of his rebellious body. Again he raised his hand, but his weaker half, didn't give in just yet. Ultimately, instead of signing at the control-panel, he ended up knocking on the door:
„It's me. Please, let me in!" he said with great effort, and added it in thought „Before I change my mind." the door immediately slid open. Ahsoka didn't look up to him, just stepped aside, so he could enter. For a brief moment Anakin thought, it'd be better if they talked things out there, standing in the door, but realised it would be way too embarrassing. So he stepped in. Chill ran up his spine as the door closed behind him. He turned to face Ahsoka, but the girl stubbornly refused to make eye-contact with him…'tho Anakin was sure, if she didn't, he'd be the one looking away. Despite –or exactly because?- of this he turned his head down, and watched the floor. Then he started to sputter about how sorry he had been, and how much he had had no idea what got into him. He was so nervous and so disorganised, it took him five seconds to notice the delicate fingers grabbing tightly on his tunic, and that his blabbering had long been muffled by something very soft, warm and wet, at his mouth. But he realised who it was immediately.
AHSOKA KISSED HIM!
His first reaction was utter, and complete shock. His mind and body totally froze, like he'd been carbonited. His eyes gouged. His heart skipped a beat. His breath was cut. Then almost as a reflex, came the urge to push her away from himself. His arms instinctively rose to do so, but at halfway the goal of the move changed, and instead they wrapped themselves around Ahsoka's frame, with his right resting on her left scapula, while his left was positioned gently against her hind head-tail and montrals. His right pulled her even closer. His eyes closed, and then, throwing out of the window, each and every decisions about not getting involved with others ever again, he returned the kiss.
End Flashback
„God damn it, stop recalling it!" Anakin yelled at himself mentally for the umpteenth time. He was „mediating" in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, trying to chase away, or at least figure out his newfound thoughts and emotions about Ahsoka, but all in vain. Her kiss countinued to burn on his lips, with such heat, like he had felt only once before. „What the hell is wrong with me? It's one thing that, she kissed me first, but as her mentor, I should've stopped her, not kissing back!"
„Guess I really didn't think about her, barely as a sister." he muttered. He could sense that, noone was in the greenhouse aside from himself, so he didn't have to worry, about someone overhearing him. And it was easier to bring his thoughts together if he said them out loudly. „Come to think of it, we always had a kinda special special relationship…After all, I'm only four years older, than she is. The usual age difference between Master and Apprentice is around ten years at the least. She always had something, that I liked about her… I don't know…When did I stop looking at her as my Padawan, and well, if not exactly as a sister, at least as a cousin? When did I start, without noticing it, develop deeper emotions towards her? Was it that, she could make me forget about Padmé, even if it was just for a short time? Wait a minute…the Padmé, I saw in that vision, after Ahsoka was hospitalized, said something about that, she wants me to forget about the past, or I won't see what the present may offer. Could she meant this? Now that I think about it, Ahsoka has been besides me all this time. Could I really took a liking for her, without realising it? Apparently…yes I could..."
„Damn! What should I do? Becasue I fall for Padme, her death nearly turned me to the Dark Side, and it kept haunting me for the past year. If I carry such an attachment towards Ahsoka, who knows, what would I do, if she got hurt? Not just that, getting into a romantic affair with one's own apprentice, is the worst possible way of breaking the part of the Jedi Code about relatiohships! We barely escaped being discovered, and this was the very first time! We both could have been expelled for that one kiss!"
„Just calm down!...First I must clearify this situation in front of myself. Then I'll have to talk it out with her. I just hope, she won't get any ideas…"
„Do you really hope that? Or you're just disclaiming again?"
„I thought I told you to SHUT THE HELL UP!"
Flashback
„Oh, man, what was I thinking? I must have lost it, just retreat, before it's too late!" Ahsoka felt like her heart was about to jump out. How could she's been so stupid, so reckless to do this? „Just pull away! It's not too late, he's so scattered, he didn't even notice it yet. He's still trying to apology!" She couldn't decide which one irritateded her more: herown silly and rush action, or Anakin's blind ignorance. „Ok, get away from him, RIGHT NOW!" she yelled at herself, but she really didn't want to. It just felt sooo good, hanging on his tunic, and the taste of his lips between hers…
Then it was too late. Reality caught up with her shocked Master. Ahsoka felt his whole body stiffen, his jaws forming a stunned, perfect „O". She heard his breathing got stucked.
„Oh, god, I'm finished! He'll surely push me away!" certainly enough, in the next moment Ahsoka felt the tiny currents in the air caused by the movement of his arms. „Just get out off his reach, broke it, before he does!" but she couldn't move. All she could do, was waiting for his rejection.
But it didn't come. Instead, his arms wrapped her around, and pulled her into his warm embrace. She could feel his body relax, and so did her's. Then the unimagineable happened. His jaws moved, and he kissed her back.
In that instant, what little strenght remained in her knees disappeared. If it wasn't for the strong arm on her back, she'd have collapsed. „Wow!...He certainly knows how to kiss. Is he a natural in this as well, or had he someoneelse to kiss before?" she wondered musingly, giving a moment for jealousy to stung her, before it had been melted away. „Damn, I don't care! He's here, and right now, it's me who he is kissing!"
End Flashback
Ahsoka openned her eyes. It was useless to try and sleep. All she could think about, was that wonderful five minutes, and the possible sequels. She was sure, if she had been an ordinary girl, she would be only dreaming about the pleasant possibilities. However she was a Jedi, and she knew it all too well, that things weren't always going as one wished. She just experinced it, from the first hand. She was unable to count how many times had her super-sensitive Togruta senses helped her out in the war, but this time she was really grateful for them. Otherwise the scandal would have been really hard to avoid. Thanks to her montrals, she felt the new-comers just in time, to push Anakin and herself appart, before the door slid open, and Ala bulged in, with Barriss following her more carefully. When she saw them, Ahsoka mentally kicked herself on the butt. She totally forgot, that Ala was temporarly accomodated in her quarters as well, along with that, Barriss still made a medical check on her her in every three-hours. They both froze, when they saw Anakin and her standing a few steps away from each other, gasping heavily. Anakin was even red as a Lethan Twi'lek, while Ahsoka's face was covered in sweat. At that moment she wanted nothing more, than throwing out the duo, and locking up the door, but since that would had been a dead give away, she restrained herself.
„It's a good thing, we're arguing so, much with Skyguy." Ahsoka thought as she recalled the situation. „So Barriss immediately guessed we had another dispute." she turned around on her mattress.
„Can't sleep,either?" she heard Ala's voice from a few inches away. Ahsoka froze. She had been sure the girl was asleep.
„Sorry, did I wake you?"
„No. I had a nightmare. It's Ledér." Ahsoka raised an eyebrow. The name didn't mean anything to her, but Ala's tone made her worry.
„Who?"
„The witch, you killed." she added: „Hellrider's bitch. I still have some of her memories in my head." For a moment Ahsoka couldn't figure out what was she talking about. Then the realization struck her. She sat up, and turned on the night-lights. Ala covered her eyes for a moment.
„You remember her, and what happened when I confronted them? What about your attestation? You said, you can't remember, if there was anybody executed, prior to the time Hellrider left that planet! You lied, didn't you?" Ahsoka yelled at her infuriously. Ala seemed to regret that she let it slip. She replied however:
„Yes, I did."
"Why did you? It's essential for us to know everything about them! Are you trying to cove…"
„Shut up, now! Don't say something you'd surely regret!" she yelled at herself, just in time. She could already clearly see tears in Ala's eyes.
„Because I was afraid. Afraid, that if I'd told you everything, you wouldn't have any reason to come and talk with me. You're the first one of my species, I've spoken with for a long time -not counting her. And you were kind to me, like nooneesle, eversince I was separeted from my family." Ahsoka felt ashamed. She sat down next to Ala, and hugged her. Ala blinked, and for a second didn't move. Then she started to cry.
„You have no idea, what it was like there. I've never had a single friend. I could talk to noone. We were always separeted from the other slaves, and while I was serving somebody, I was not allowed to say a word, so I mostly spoke to myself when I was alone in my cell. I want to forget everything, and I eminently don't want to remember her. Out of all the twisted, evil people out there, she was by far the worst to me!"
Ahsoka was thunderstruck. Since Ala regained consciousness after the death of Hellrider, she always showed the mask of an ever-cheerful, cheeky, a bit nosy, and easy-going girl with a tendency of being hyper-active. Now that she thought about what a horrible life she must had had as a slave in a pirate-ruled empire, Ahsoka couldn't believe that she was fooled by Ala's act.
„Ala, you're my friend, and that won't change, no matter what. I won't turn away from you I promise!" she tried to huss her.
„Really?" the girl looked up.
„Really." for a minute they didn't move, or say anything. Then Ala asked:
„Do you want me to tell about Ledér, now?"
„No, if you aren't feeling ready just yet." this seemed to calm her „But you must tell it to the Council tomorrow." upon hearing this, the timid smile disappeared from Ala's face.
„OK, I'll try. Sorry, for cracking up like this." she sniffed, while wiping her eyes.
„It's all right."
„Thank's for comforting me." she said with a final sob. Then a wide, mischievous grin spread across her face, so suddenly, that it was scary. „Soooo tell me, what happened between you, and that handsome knight of your's?" Ahsoka dropped her chin, then recoiled from Ala. For a second, she couldn't say a thing, then she started to sputter denial in total horror:
„Nothing!" she claimed „I'm serious!" She added when she saw, Ala only giggled „He's not MY knight, anyway!…Sure he IS a Jedi Knight, and he is MY Master, but he's not my knight, not like a boy-friend…"
„Boy-friend? Who said anything about him being your guy?" Ala interrupted „I just wanted to know what were you two talking about." at this point, she gave a sharp smile „But at least it turned out, that you've desperately fallen for his charms." Ahsoka froze, then Ala cruelly continued: „Too bad. You have absolutely no chance, for that he'll ever notice you, as a girl." Something shattered in Ahsoka's mind, and she yelled at her f(r)iend without thinking.
„WHAT DO YOU KNOW? WE'VE ALREADY KISSE…" she slapped on her mouth, but it was too late.
„I KNEEEEEW IT!" Ala screamed in joy. Ahsoka was terrified by the fact she had been so easily led right into a trap. Now she was really happy that all personal quarters in the Temple-including even the apprentices'- were soundproof.
„So, how the two of you are? I mean, since when…?" Ala's insolently nosy question hit Ahsoka unexpectedly. Her surprise must had been written on her, because Ala seemed to have realised that, she had touched on a very sensitive spot.
„Sorry. I didn't mean to be assertive." Ahsoka shook her head, trying to return to the reality.
„It's all right. But you're confusing me, more than all the other things, that happened in the past days combined. I can't get a read on you, and your mood changes." Ala responded her with a sad smile:
„When you live in misery and emotional isolation for as long as I had, you've two choices: to fed upon your pain, go insane, and ultimately: die. Or learn to bear it, let go of it, brush it off and be happy for the tiniest of good news. Even if that only means, that someoneelse, like a child or an elder got enough food or water for once, while you'd been starved for weeks. I learnt that, I saw that, with my own eyes: even living in total despondency, is better than to die in the middle of it. So until I could, I had always pretended that the bad things happening around me, weren't real. And when I couldn't hold up this illusion any more, I cried my pains out, then laughed with with someone, even if that was one of my tormentors. And see? I retained my sanity, and I'm finally free, and I have you, and Barriss to talk with, to cheer me on, and who knows how many others may I find later?" Ahsoka was left speechless by this. She felt her eyes getting wet, so she wiped them. Then she whet her throat:
„You know Ala, until now, I've been thinking about you, as a crazy, goofy, but loveable girl, who had a tragedic past. Now I see that, you're actually a thousand times stronger, than I can ever hope to become." Ala grinned sheepishly.
„I hope you'll never have to…OK, enought crying, more laugthing! Bring it on: how far have the two of you got?" hearing this Ahsoka gave a laugh, that souned more like a groan, before she told what exactly had happened.
„Are you sure about this, Shaak Ti? It was my understanding, that the last one of those died fourthousand years ago, protecting Shili from the Sith." Plo Koon asked the Togruta Master, who nodded:
„Your information is correct, but I can't imagine any otherway. No Force-sensitive three-year-old is capable of deflecting a fully-trained Dark Jedi's Force-Lightning, nor stopping a fire storm. Not even if she would have three times higher midichlorian count than Skywalker's, which I assume she doesn't have."
„No, she doesn't. Her midichlorian count, 'tho unusually high between your people, is on the pair with an average Jedi's. Which off course, combined with her Togruta heritage, enough to grant her as much Force-potential, as anyone on the Council. You're the perfect example of it. However, this is exactly why I think you're wrong about her. Wasn't all the Tamers, completely blind to the Force? How in the universe is she able to use it, if she was one of them?"
„I don't know. Maybe because so far your seal have suppressed her prior talents, it gave way for the Force to find her."
„So far? You don't think it's in place anymore?"
„Don't worry about that. Even if the seal really broke, it's very likely that I'm wrong. According to the legend, only once in each fivehundred years would a Tamer born, and as you pointed it out, that span elapsed eight times, since the last one died. It's sad, but very possible, that their bloodline died out. And if she really is a Tamer, it is time for her to learn about it anyway. However, I can't tell whether she's a new one or not. Not without testing her, that is."
„And how are you planning to do that?" the Kel Dor asked with deep concern. Shaak replied with a mysterios smile:
„Have you ever heard of the Dance of the Akul?"
„No...?"
„Well then," she stopped in front of a door, and signed „even if just an amaturish version of it, but now you shall see it for yourself." the door slid open. „Greetings, Youngone. I hope we didn't wake you."
„Master Plo? Master Ti?" Ahsoka almost sat down from the surprise, and fright „Are they here, because Anakin renounced training me?" however she forced calm on herself, and asked:
„What can I be at your services?" Shaak Ti handed over a small package to her.
„Put these on! No other clothes, no shoes, no underwear! I'll be waiting for you in the Room of a Thousand Fountains in fifteen minutes." she said on an unusually cold tone. Ahsoka heard that Master Ti was normally a kind woman, but when she meant business, she could became as cold and cruel as the space, but this was the first time she'd ever seen this hardside of her. She gulped, and bowed:
„As you wish, Master. May I ask…"
„No. You shall find out why, once we're there." then she turned around and left. Master Plo watched her leaving, then turned to Ahsoka. It wasn't easy to read the Kel Dor's expression, but Ahsoka didn't have to. His concern for her flowed through the Force.
„Master Plo, is there something I should know about?" she asked, but he turned away, following the Togruta Jedi. However over his shoulder he looked back at her, and said:
„That is exactly what we'd like to find out as well. By the way" now there was something in his tone, that made Ahsoka worry „don't bring your lightsabers along."
„So here you're, Skywalker!" Anakin opened his eyes, and saw Shaak Ti standing a few steps away from him. When he saw her, he had to blink twice before he was convinced about that he wasn't hallucinating: the Togruta Master had left her usual, heavy robes somewhereelse, and she was standing in a small lake, almost naked, wearing only a soft brown cloth, that was rather a bra, than a top, and a similar part covering her groin. She also had some other stripes of textile bound on her legs and arms, and she was about to tie together her three-feet-long lekku behind her shoulders with another one.
„I was looking for you. I wanted to tell you."
„What?" Shaak Ti gave him a warning look.
„Here, in a few minutes, your Padawan shall fight me, an unarmed battle, until one can't move any longer!"
OH MAN, WHERE ARE THESE AGGRESSIVE PLOT BUNNIES TAKING ME?
Please stop them, with your wall of Reviews!
(ANd BTW Yes, Ahsoka's new outfit is the same one she got in "Heroes on Both Sides", while the clothes Shaak Ti is currently wearing are the ones she wears in The Force Unleashed I.)
