Once Old Man Jho gave Kanan and Hera a few more details on the situation and told them the Bridger's address, Six Morgan Lane, the two bid The Ithorian farewell and headed to Capitol City. Once inside the City they noticed the large amount of troopers in the area. They troopers were on every block in the city following one of multiple officers. What caught Kanan and Hera eye and concern though was a wanted picture of Ezra, angrily struggling in someone's arms with the message written;
Wanted: Ezra Bridger
Age: 7
This criminal is wanted for multiple charges such as petty theft, destruction of imperial property and for being associated with rebel activity. He has recently escaped from imperial custody and is a danger to those he comes into contact with. Reward of 50,000 credits to those who bring him in alive.
"I'm guessing word of our recent activity spread here." Hera said sarcastically to Kanan quietly as he ripped off the poster from the wall for a closer look up.
Suddenly they noticed some Troopers and two officers turning over an Ugnaughts merchant wagon.
"Where is the boy, we know he is here!" yelled the officer at the terrified ugnaughts.
"No! He no here. Swear I do, swear" The Ugnaughts told the menacing troopers, cowering in fear before the troopers kicked him to the side.
Kanan was about to grab his blaster before Hera took hold of his to stop him, "We can't draw a scene here, and there are too many troopers." Hera whispered to Kanan who reluctantly put his blaster back into the holster.
The officer began to yell at the crowd of citizens in a formal manner, "Anyone who sees the boy named Ezra Bridger is to turn him over to the Empire! Anyone seen harboring him will face the Imperial Forces." The troopers and officer began to disperse across the city. During this time Kanan and Hera made their way down the alley as the "short cut" to Ezra's house.
"Good thing we know where we are going," Hera clarified, "any citizen here would be too scared to tell us where the house is."
"They probably wouldn't help without the threat." Kanan muttered with a bitterness behind his words.
"Why do you say that?" Hera asked cautiously. Hera had been told about Kanan's struggle on his own, he rarely though dwelled on it.
"The only time people pay attention to street rats is when they steal from them or when there is a bounty on their head." Kanan grimly pointed out.
Once Kanan finished his sentence though Hera smacked him upside behind his head before continuing on their way.
Kanan touched his now stinging head trying to catch up with Hera, "What in Musafar's name was that for?" Kanan shouted
Hera turned around upset and pointing her finger in his face, "For calling you and Ezra 'street rats'! It is demeaning and you two are both better than that?
"I know, but…, it's just something Ezra said last night that got me upset." Kanan told Hera.
"You mean when you two shared a late night hot chocolate?" Hera said slyly with her cunning smile on her face.
Kanan looked at her a little puzzled about how she knew before she chuckled and told him, "You need to start cleaning up your mugs. But it was very sweet of you to comfort Ezra last night like that. So what did he tell you?"
Kanan then explained to Hera what Ezra had mentioned about being "ignored" on the streets and explaining what he had to go through on his own. Hera then to look at Kanan with her motherly concerned face.
"That poor child has been through way too much."
Kanan could just agree, "Yeah".
Hera though soon decided to get things back to the matter at hand, "So, once were at the house, we need keep our eyes opened for anything that Ezra will need if he's going to be staying with us. If we're lucky there should be something on how far along he is in schooling so-"
"Woah, woah, woah Hera. You making it sound like the kid is going to be living with us."
Hera stopped in her tracks and gave Kanan her serious "I won't be questioned" look.
Kanan looked at her and began shaking his head, "Hera we can't-"
"Yes we can, and we will," Hera said assertively, "Why else do you think were heading to his house?"
"I thought we were looking for hints of someone else the Bridger's knew, who may be able to take care of him?" Kanan explained
Hera though began elaborating, continuing on their way to Morgan Lane. "Kanan, you said it yourself, everyone who saw him ignored him. Ezra told us if anything ever happened to him, Tseboo would look after him. But the problem know with that is even if Tseboo wasn't the mole, would you feel comfortable handing Ezra over to someone who works for the imperials?"
"I don't feel comfortable handing him over to anyone?" Kanan spitted out. While Kanan knew it was true, he didn't want Hera to know. Now she was giving him a satisfied smiled.
"I knew you cared about him. You're worried about him, you're fond of him"
"It's more than that," Kanan began, earning confused look from Hera before he continued, "Ezra and I have Force bonded."
"I don't know what that mean?" Hera revealed
Kanan took a deep breath before calmly explaining, "When two force sensitives meet, and have a similar force signature, the two develop with bond with one another. Being able to sense each other's presence and emotions easier than with other beings and even other force sensitives. It was what could be used for a Jedi master to find the padwan they should train." Kanan had a hard time saying the last part; as it was brought Depa to him.
Hera's face lite up with excitement, "Kanan, that is amazing," Hera expressed, but then she noticed a complexed look on Kanan's face which resulted her into asking, "isn't it?"
Kanan vented out his concern of the boy to Hera, "I got to be honest Hera, and it is a lot to take in. Ezra is the first force-sensitive I've met since the Jedi Purge that wants nothing to do with the Empire, all great parts of having bonded with him. The problem though is the Empire is aware of him."
"But that isn't what is really scaring you, is it," Hera questioned before stating what had been bugging Kanan since his confrontations with the Inquisitor, "You want to train him, don't you?"
"No, that is insane." Kanan lied, trying to brush off the idea from Hera's mind.
"Then tell me, why is your holocron in the med bay where Ezra slept last night?" Hera insightfully asked Kanan with a sly smile on your face.
Kanan really did not want to talk about it, he knew with Hera he would have to, but now he just wanted a distraction. Luckily he found one,
Right down the alley they turned into was the address they have been looking for.
"Look, we're here." Kanan said as he hurried down the alley.
From behind him Hera just stared at him, annoyed by the sudden change in the topic. But did decide to bring it up later.
The outside of what was once Ezra's home was littered with 'property of the Empire' signs, along with rotting food remains and rusting mechanical garbage littering around the two story home. Every window was broken, but alas, all were too small for Hera and Kanan to squeeze into.
Kanan tried opening the door to no avail.
"Damn," Kanan cursed frustrated, "Do you happen to see another way in?" he asked Hera.
"None," Hera answered, beginning to look around in the clutter, "Maybe they have a hidden key around here."
When looking around in the rubbish turned up nothing, Hera began to smile and turned on her comlink,
"Who are you trying to reach?" Kanan ask.
"Who do you think? Ezra probably knows where a key would be."
Before Kanan could say anything else, the other line of the comlink came to life with a familiar young voice.
"Hello?" asked Ezra
"Hi Ezra, it's me and Kanan." Hera told the boy
"Hi guys! Are you and Kanan alright?" Ezra asked, sounding like he was moving around a bit.
Hera assured Ezra, "We're fine sweetie, and how are you doing with Zeb and Sabine?"
Ezra began his gleeful rambling, "It's great. Zeb told me about how he got eaten by a sarlacc, and made me a BLT, and Sabine turned my clothes, orange, I'm putting it one right now."
Both Kanan and Hera couldn't help but smile at how delighted Ezra was right now.
"I can't wait to see that," Hera told Ezra, "But before we can get back to the ship, we need to ask you something."
"Am I in trouble," Ezra asked a little worried.
"No, no, no, you are not in trouble," Hera assured the kid, "Kanan and I are actually in front of your house right now and were wondering if you parents had a hidden key somewhere?"
The other end of the comlink was silent for a bit before Ezra came back on, I don't think you guys should go in." Ezra bluntly told them.
Hera looked at a confused Kanan, worried that they just took two steps back with Ezra trusting them.
"Why do you think that?" Hera asked in her concerned maternal voice.
"My mom and dad said not to let anyone in without asking them. They have stuff in our house that they won't even let me touch. I'm not sure if they would let me let you guy's in." Ezra explained nervously to the two.
Hera was lost, she didn't want Ezra to go against his parents ruled, even if they weren't around, they had obvious reasons to not let people in the house without knowing them.
Kanan though, knowing how to explain it to Ezra, took the comlink from Hera.
"Ezra, I promise that if you tell us not to touch anything in the house, we won't. We just want to get in so we can grab a few things of yours you might need. We also want to see if we can find anything your parents might have wanted to keep away from the Empire. We promise we will be quick." Kanan explained to a concerned Ezra.
The other end of the comlink before Ezra asked, if you guys are going to go in, can you bring Dev back?"
"Dev?" Kanan asked a little worried any bet still inside might be dead.
"Dev is my lothcat. My mom made him for me, "Ezra explained to Kanan, "I left him in my room."
"Sure kid," Kanan assured Ezra, "We will bring Dev back."
"Okay. The six on the house, the top screw is a button. It will open and give you the spare key card." Ezra explained.
With that Hera pressed the six button on the house, and out popped the key card.
"Thank you Ezra," Kanan thanked Ezra, "We will be back soon."
"Please do," Ezra told Kanan and Hera.
"Why? I thought you were enjoying your time with Sabine and Zeb on the ship?" Kanan asked jokingly.
"I am, but I miss you guys." Ezra told the grownups on the comlink.
Hera then took over the comlink again, "Don't worry we will be back in a little bit."
"Alright, see you guys then," Ezra said, biding the two good bye for themoment.
"Bye," Hera told Ezra, before turning off the comlink.
Hera then turned to Kanan with a satisfied smile, which Kanan quickly questioned, "What?"
"Just nice to see he is just as warmhearted of you as you are of him. Must be this 'Jedi-bond'," Hera said gleefully as she unlocked the door.
"Let's just find what we need," Kanan told Hera as the two entered the abandoned Bridger home, trying to hide the fact he was anxious to get Ezra his lothcat toy. Also he didn't want the boy to miss them for too much longer. But first though, they needed to have a look around of the abandoned home first.
Sabine was in her room cleaning up her tie-dye mess when she heard the commotion of Chopper and Ezra heading her way. Her first instinct was to get the two away from each other, but then noticed that the two were actually racing each other, with Chopper winning the race to Sabine's room.
"No fair," Ezra complained to the droid a little winded. "You actually know where her room is."
Sabine was pleased by Ezra interaction with the droid. "It seems you two are getting."
"Well I wanted to show you my new colors," Ezra said pointing out he was now in his orange uniform, "But I didn't know where you were at. So I asked Chopper and he said he would race me."
Sabine just smiled at Ezra. Seeing him in the now orange outfit, made him look like a normal kid. One would almost find it hard to believe he was not only a homeless kid, but an imperial prisoner. Now the though with a happy smile gracing his face, he looked like a happy typical kid. Even if Sabine knew he wasn't 'typical'.
"Does the outfit feel okay?" Sabine asked, though she soon noticed that Ezra had gone into her room and began looking around at her art pieces with his eyes bugged out with astonishment.
"Ezra?" Sabine asked, trying to get the kids attention.
"Hmm," Ezra acknowledged, "Oh yeah, thank you so much for dyeing it for me." Ezra said before turning around to the colorful murals around Sabine's room.
"I'm guessing you like my piece of works?" Sabine asked, amused by the boys wonder in her work.
Ezra then looked at Sabine in total shock, "You painted all these?" Ezra asked.
"Do you like it?" Sabine gladly asked, though she was pleased that she already knew the answer.
"It is so colorful. It is like I stepped into a rainbow. You're really, really good at drawing!" Ezra told Sabine.
Sabine had to admit, she was pleased by Ezra's compliments. She knew she was a pretty good artist. Kanan, Hera, and Zeb always tell her so, but it was nice to hear it from a child sense of wonderment and honesty. Such positive reviews of her work instilled her confidence as an artist.
"Hey I know that symbol, it's the sign of rebellion, "Ezra said, pointing to the pink fire bird with another symbol Sabine noticed on the fulcrum packages she picked up with Hera once.
"Why does it have Fulcrums logo on it?" Ezra asked curiously before suddenly realizing with sudden enthusiasm, "You know Fulcrum! You know him!"
Sabine stared Ezra shocked, she asked him, "How do you know that?"
Ezra then continued to point at Fulcrums symbol, "Fulcrums symbols were always on the mystery packages my mom and dad got from him."
"Mystery package?" Sabine asked.
"Yeah for their radio broadcast they would do for him." Ezra voiced to Sabine casually.
"Have you ever met Fulcrum?" Sabine probed, hoping to finally learn the identity of Hera's "informant'. Though Sabine's hope soon went down.
"No, he just sent packages and occasionally talked to dad on the holoprojector." Ezra revealed to Sabine.
While Sabine was a little disappointed about still not knowing who Fulcrum was, she wanted to ask one more question, "What kind of broadcast did your parents do for Fulcrum?"
"I don't really know, they would send me to bed before I could listen to them. They said they were "speaking for the hope and future of Lothal' though." Ezra said, a little off from his eager attitude earlier.
At that moment Sabine had figured out just who Ezra's parents were. But she could tell that Ezra was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable talking about his parents. So she decided to take his mind off the matter, and smiled at Ezra with a fun idea for the two of them to do.
"Do you want me to teach you how to draw some of these symbols?"
"Really?" Ezra asked eagerly.
"Sure. I'll get the paint, and you can grab some paper I keep under my bed."
With that, Ezra and Sabine began to gather the material needed to express their "Art for the Rebellion".
