Walking back into the locker room, Kyle's performance didn't catch the attention of anyone besides Vakidis. Kyle checked on the bumps and bruises in the mirror, getting reacquainted with the ultimate pains this business is guaranteed to give you. His time as a Jedi didn't provide this many scraps.
"Just like old times, eh?" Vakidis rubs Kyle's shoulders. "You were great out there."
"Yeah, I even surprised myself." He confessed. "I didn't think I could pull it off."
"If you're upset about not winning via pinfall, it isn't worth sweating. Nobody pins Mastodon. He's nearly unbeatable." Vakidis explains. The fact Mastodon was of a higher level than he boiled Kyle's blood. He wanted to wrestle him again, desperate end the streak. Before he left Songin, plenty compliments him for doing the "impossible" and coming out on top versus Plaxico. But he didn't get the one, two, three.
"All my important wins come either disqualification or count out, I'm getting tired of it." Kyle fumed. "I want to nail the superkick, I want to beat somebody worth a damn by pinning them."
"Don't worry, you'll do that. It takes hard work. I have to go, my match is on next. You staying?" Vakidis asks. Kyle could tell by the look in Vakidis' eyes it would mean a lot for his friend to remain in the locker room to watch the match. Kyle honestly felt his safety threatened out there when in the ring, he wasn't in the mood for returning a second time in one day.
Vakidis was greeted far more warmly than Kyle when he walked to the ring, slapping hands with those in attendance milking in their admiration. The announcer informed them he was also one half of the tag championship, an honor they once held together.
His opponent was a fairly nondescript fellow, and many didn't acknowledge his existence. It was clear Vakidis was the man of the hour and boy did he act like one, giving his opponent a wrestling lesson. Vakidis reverses a slingshot to the ropes, then launches off his feet for a double missile drop kick for the pin.
(Scene break)
Rue and Harley are pleased with Vakidis, after seeing Monix, she believed there was a money match to be booked. it tickled them pink to see him laid out.
Miraj seemed to agree "That boy deserves more of an opportunity."
"Yes, ma'am." Rue nods. "But he and the Zygerrians in the back could have a problem."
"Yes, you are right. Lars, every now and then check in on the boys and make sure they are behaving."
"When did I become a babysitter?" Anakin internally complains. "Yes, your majesty."
"And you," Miraj looks at Ahsoka, her eyes raking in her appearance. "Go down there and give Vakidis a kiss on the cheek. Let him know he's got my attention." Her blue eyes widened. She wanted to protest, but knew it was futile. She wished her master could communicate to her via telepathy, but Proxy would likely pick up on it.
"I'll make sure she doesn't escape, your majesty." Lars pretends to jab Ahsoka forward and herd her like cattle.
"This is stupid, what am I-" Ahsoka is clearly distressed, having a difficult time keeping her voice down.
"Ahsoka, don't worry. I'll be there watching you." Anakin assures her. "I wouldn't let anything happen to you. Ever."
"Come on, let's go visit Kyle."
(Scene break)
"So this is what you do?" Kyle was busy watching the monitors to see Anakin walk in.
"Not something you would be into?" He smirks.
"Wrestling is viewed as fake where I come from." Anakin admits.
"Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't." Kyle admitted.
"What do you mean?"
"When there's a big guy promoters want to push, he'll tell his opponents to take a dive to build him up. People like the man I faced tonight fit the bill, except he could actually fight."
"You need to do better if you're going to advance." Anakin switches the subject. Kyle shrugs. To him, a Jedi and a wrestler were the furthest thing from one another. There was no room for finesse in a sport dominated by brute force.
"I won, isn't that enough? You've already gotten to meet the Queen. Why didn't you take her out?"
"Dooku's pawn is guarding her. It'll be far too messy to try and capture her now. The only reason this tournament is going on is because you're here. The moment you're eliminated they'll start selling off the slaves." Kyle nods, understanding the situation.
Harley told Skywalker of a place in the basement area of the arena to spar. The ring wasn't regulation size, quite smaller than the average wrestling ring. On the outside, onKyle a thin plastic protective surface covering the concrete. "Yuck" Kyle grimaces. "I've performed in some dour environments, this is a level up... or down. Whichever is worse."
Ahsoka was there, Kyle didn't understand why though. Believing she was supposed to be the Queen's servant to protect the illusion. "Why don't you show me what you can do?" Anakin tells Ahsoka and Kyle to get into the ring.
"What?" The premise caused Kyle to snicker, and Ahsoka to scoff. "You need to fight the Jedi way. None of this garbage style you're doing."
"Last time I fought the 'Jedi way' I got beat up." Kyle remembers. "Besides, the two styles are far apart from one another."
"Master, I've fought Kyle before, you seen me beat him easily in the past." Ahsoka points out. Unflinching, Anakin doubled down.
"Kyle is limited with a lightsaber, his ability in hand-to-hand exceeds your perception, Padawan." He convinces the teens to get into the ring and begin the sparring session.
The two circle each other, Ahsoka not knowing how to kick off these sorts of fights, and Kyle worried his style would easily fall apart against a Jedi. Ahsoka attacks first with a punch attempt, Kyle reacts fast and snatches her arm for an arm drag, swinging her to the other side of the ring. Perplexed, she went for the hit again, meeting the same result. A smirk forms on Kyle's face. "Welcome to my world." He cockily said internally.
Then Ahsoka reintroduced Kyle to her world, hitting him with punch and kick combos, sending him over the turnbuckle and on to the floor. Kyle struggles to gather himself, he lost his momentum so fast it freaked him out. Talking a brief powder to recollect himself, Kyle slides under the ropes, believing he could outmaneuver the Jedi with his orthodox technique.
Ahsoka lunges at Kyle, he ducks and kicks her swiftly in the abdomen before slingshotting her into the ropes, Ahsoka contorts her body tying her legs around his neck to bring Kyle down and into a vicious neck crank, stretching Kyle's back into an unbearable position in the center of the ring. He fights and tries to scurry, left nowhere to turn he taps on canvass, but Ahsoka doesn't relinquish the hold.
"That means I quit!" He chokes out, gurgling spit. "I quit!" She lets go, he rapidly tries to regain his breath.
"I taught her that," Anakin said proudly. "and how do you escape the 'Crossface', Ahsoka?" Anakin told Kyle to replay the scenario with him applying the hold on Ahsoka. The Togruta gets control of her body, contorting her limbs, reversing the hold into her own in a matter of seconds. Anakin told them to do it again, this time Ahsoka placed her feet under her and picked Kyle off from the ground shortly, loosening his hold, until she was able to free her neck.
The three would train all night, Kyle ran the ropes and tried to use his ring knowledge to outsmart the Jedi, but frequently found himself stifled. Anakin was growing frustrated and needed time to contemplate his methods.
"You sure there isn't a way we can sneak you into this tournament?" He quietly asks Ahsoka.
"Maybe if we let him fight his style he'll have an easier time?" Ahsoka observes. Anakin remained skeptical.
"Jedi don't deliver flying elbows from the top rope." He reminds her.
"How do you know what that move is called?" She smirks, as he stammers to find a way out of his predicament. He couldn't let his Padawan know he was aware of the existence of wrestling lingo.
"That's not the point, Ahsoka." He signs. "Kyle is just not very good. I don't think he could do this. He's too stubborn to know his way isn't the right one."
"You don't mean that."
Anakin shakes his head, indicating he indeed doubts Kyle. The boy overheard the unfortunate conversation, his shoulders slumped as he departed without their knowledge.
"Hey Kyle!" He turns around to see Vakidis still in the locker room, now out of his gear wearing street clothes. "Where were you?"
"I'm sorry, I ran into an old friend." He explains. "I saw your match, though. You killed it." He slaps his shoulder. "You always were the talented one."
"We didn't win the Tag Titles because of me alone. You look like you haven't lost a step." Kyle wasn't sure if that statement was truthful. Vakidis knew something was bothering his friend, he couldn't put his finger on it. Not that Kyle would want to talk about it anyway.
"I got a match tomorrow, I have to catch some shuteye. Good night, Vakidis."
Kyle lays awake in his shabby bed, unable to put Anakin's words out of his mind. Why was his hero so abrasive to him? All he wanted was his admiration. He tries his best, always listens to his elders. Nobodies complained about his performance in previous battles. What more did Anakin want?
His com-link went off, he could tell it was Tera by the specific ring.
"Master, I saw you up there. Should I leave and join you and Obi-Wan?"
"No. Stick with the plan. We need to find the colonists. If you drop out this tournament ends quicker and they'll start suctioning off slaves in the arena." She said.
"What is our plan, if you don't mind me asking?"
"We can't capture the Queen. She has far too much protection. Dooku's new apprentice is protecting her. For now, we find the colonists." She answers.
"But I could help find them." Kyle offers.
"We need you to fight. The Queen's taken a liking to you. She'll notice you left and will raise suspicion." Kyle chuckles.
"First off, all Zygerrians hate me. So safe to assume she wants to see lose. Second, Anakin's a real smooth operator, Master."
Tera too did not understand Anakin's plan to use his charm to gain the affection of the Queen, only for her eyes to be partaken by someone else.
"Yeah, a real womanizer."
(Scene break)
Anakin could feel something is amiss. A thread is out of place. Proxy and the Queen are inseparable, and he wouldn't stop staring daggers into Skywalker's eyes. If it wasn't for his helmet, Proxy would have made Skywalker out. Fortunately, the disguise did well in concealing his identity.
"You're nervous?" Proxy pours a drink, handing it to Skywalker. "I would have thought someone like you would love this."
"It isn't my cup of tea." Anakin worries Proxy drugged his drink. A pirate did this to Anakin and Obi-Wan not too long ago, so he had good reason to remain vigilant. Proxy poured himself a glass as they sat within earshot of the Queen. "I'm more of an art connoisseur. Like over there, that painting is called 'Triumph'" He points to a portrait depicting a Wookiee silhouette throwing his arms triumphant gesture. Skywalker knew nothing about art, he did know the story of that one picture. Proxy turns his head to look at the portrait, Anakin switches the glasses around in the meantime.
"Oh, yeah. Very nice." Proxy shrugs. "I'm more of a pod racing guy myself."
"Interesting."
"Where I come from, we used to race at least twice a week for a lot of capital." Proxy recalls fondly. "Those were the days."
"Simpler times?"
"Always."
(Scene break)
Queen Miraj servants wouldn't stop giving Ahsoka looks, as if aware she was only playing the role of a slave girl. The title and duties of a slave are far more demeaning than one believes. Miraj ordered her slaves to wait on her hand and foot, and constantly clean the lavish palace no matter how spotless they already made it.
Ahsoka tried to help the slaves avoid lashings by helping them pick up the slack. Their bodies were breaking down, the only respite they'd receive is while receiving vicious whippings.
It was nightfall, and the slaves were allowed to go to their quarters for the night unlike the previous few. A dozen Togrutans cramming themselves into a tin can they're forced to call a home, some holding their children tight as their embrace is the only source for any warmth.
Alone in a corner, she holds herself shivering. Besides the howling winds, the low cries of the children in distress kept her up. Suddenly, a large blanket was draped over her. Looking up, she finds a little girl looking exactly like her, only her facial markings looked like smudges and not lines. "You need this more than I do." Ahsoka whispered. The little Togruta shakes her head.
"We have one left over." She replies before returning to her family.
