AN: This chapter is going to be my longest yet, with descriptions galore and the usual insanity of Reset Button. Last chapter got me A LOT of attention, I also changed the summary so that may have helped with it. Fourteen followers and ten favorites, you guys are the best.
Pink ranger 13: Thank you!
Nataly SkyPot: Thanks again!
Here is Chapter Fourteen!
(Anakin POV)
Now this is pod racing.
Sort of. When was the last time I actually pod raced? Thirty-something years ago? Chasing gossips on a speeder bike was certainly not as exciting. It felt like pod racing for old people. Did I fall into that category yet? No, not yet. I'm only forty five. I changed my mind when I felt AND heard my back crack. 'It's official,' I thought, 'I'm getting too old for this.'
*Nostalgia much?* Luke sent through the force, picking up on my totally random musings.
I realized what he meant and took advantage of my thundering bass. "I do NOT sound like Obi-Wan" I said out loud.
Luke moved his speeder bike closer to mine and retorted cheekily, "The more you deny it the more you prove that I'm right."
If only he'd gotten Padmé's attitude instead of mine. Both twins inherited my sass. Now I understand why Obi-Wan was always annoyed with me one way or another. I rolled my eyes beneath the mask and muttered, "Just get back to your job."
Luke took it as a victory and went back to chasing down the scout troopers. I followed, silently praying my cloak didn't get stuck on a tree branch. Truth be told, I wasn't completely sure how to operate the speeder. I pushed down a switch on the handle to see what it did. A nearby bush burst into flames. That meant it was either lasers or a flamethrower. If it's the latter, then force help me.
After dodging some trees that made me seem short, I locked on to one of the troopers. The trooper looked behind himself and was utterly shocked. "Lord Vader? What the-" he was cut off by his bike crashing into a tree and exploding.
"Always pay attention while driving a vehicle!" I called out to his remains.
"You know he can't hear you right?" Leia asked flying next to me.
"I know. I just love this whole patenting thing. It's becoming a forced habit to point out things like that."
"So far I've learned to never trust a guy who says "my boy" a lot, don't play with fire, if someone says they have the high ground listen to them, always wear a helmet, and what you yelled to that dead guy."
The plan was Skywalkers take care of troopers who could alert the other imperials of our presence, everyone else try to recruit the teddy bear army without being eaten. After we shot down all the gossiping troopers, the three of us went to find the rest of the group.
I ended up driving a speeder with both Luke AND Leia on my back. There are somethings about parenting I'm not a big fan of. I'm sure my broken back agrees. Luke volunteered to switch places with me, but I insisted my weight would crush him instantly. He didn't argue on that.
"Stop here," Leia said a few minutes of speeding later.
I gladly stopped the vehicle and got my kids off of me. "Look," Leia said pointing towards something.
I turned to where she was pointing and I saw what looked like the ultimate tree house. It appeared red through my lenses but I knew it was probably different greens and browns.
While I was observing the forest village, I felt something tugging on my cape. At first I ignored it, but then the something yanked on the black fabric, causing the latch to start choking me. Oh the irony. I spun around, cape flaring in a trademark dramatic fashion, and in front of me was a 2' tall teddy bear. Seeing that I noticed him, the furry creature started tugging on my arm instead. I think it thought I was a droid. The teddy bear continued to yank on basically everything, until it gave up and began clinging to my leg.
Luke tried to detach the fuzz ball but it wouldn't budge. "I think it likes you," Luke stated simply.
"I think it's looking for some kind of switch," Leia said.
"I think I'm lucky that it's too short to reach my control panel." I added.
At that, the teddy bear began climbing up me and trying to push a button on the panel. "No no no no, don't touch that. It'll… uh… summon a demon or something," I stammered, trying to pry of the thing.
When I mentioned demons it jumped back and pulled out a spear. I forgot about the voice modifier, clearly it freaked out my "attacker". Realizing I probably wasn't going to get into any action for now, I went to undo the latches on the mask and helmet. It came off with a hissing noise and I immediately put on my hood. Didn't need to freak out the living stuffed animal more than I already had.
"It's okay," I said, crouching to get to its level, "I'm not going to hurt you. Where is the rest of your tribe?"
It responded in a tongue I didn't, and never will, understand. Funny, I fluently speak and swear in ten languages. Han and the others emerged from the forest and Chewie growled, "We were walking in circles looking for you guys."
"I gave both my kids a piggyback ride at the same time, while driving. It's the hard knock life isn't it." I responded.
"You know the definition of a hard life better than anyone to ever live." Luke said.
"State the obvious," Leia said.
"Master Luke! I am here!" Threepio hollered, walking over at his usual pace.
"I can see that," Luke responded, "do you speak teddy bear?"
"Do you mean Ewok Master Luke?"
"Yes, one of them seems to have taken a weird interest in tugging capes."
"You did tell me that when you were younger you wanted to tug his cape Ma-"
"No one needs to know about that Threepio."
I learned something new about Luke's childhood. Simple things low his dream of tugging my cape made joy course through my veins. Every detail fed my fantasy of what raising him would've been like.
"Tug it if you like," I said, "I won't mind."
Luke shrugged as if to say "don't see why not" and gave it a light tug. "Silly childhood goal accomplished," Luke said.
Threepio began to have a conversation with the Ewok. The rest of us just stood there, really bored. My prosthetic leg was killing the stump that remained of my actual leg. Luke sat down on a nearby log and signaled me to sit next to him. I was able to take the pressure off of my legs, which felt really good. My son put an arm around me and placed my head on his shoulder. In that moment the world was perfect. We simply enjoyed each other's company until Threepio rapped up his conversation.
"Our friend here seems to think that I am a god, and that Master Anakin is their lord." Threepio concluded.
"I'm their WHAT?!" I yelled. I would've been fine with them thinking I was a man shaped refrigerator, but a teddy bear LORD? That I couldn't handle. Now I have two races the worship me; the Ewoks and the Nogihiri. Great.
Anyone saying "milord" stirred some memories I'd much rather let die in the back of my mind. Luke sensed my distress and tightened his grip on my armored shoulder.
"Tell the Ewoks that their great Lord is tired and wants to take a nap before he goes to fight an evil demon," I said.
Threepio did as told and soon enough a group of Ewoks came with a fancy bed throne thing. I was happy to note that it was the very opposite of my hyperbaric chamber. So I, Anakin Skywalker, formerly Darth Vader, apparently Lord of the Ewoks, got the energy needed to fight the demon that possessed my soul for too long.
AN: When you've got comments you know where they go… the review box!