Chapter Three: Understanding

Ahsoka and Anakin dueled with heart, not rigorous drills as the Jedi taught. As they dueled, Anakin and Ahsoka bled through decades of emotional rigidity for Anakin and years of such lockdown for Ahsoka. Through the Force, Anakin and Ahsoka gradually released their pain into the cosmos around them. The form of their styles morphed with this change. Ahsoka's Djem So with the duel-wielding of Jar'Kai changed as she and Anakin dueled. With her instincts and the guiding hand of the Force, Ahsoka's form of combat began to shift ever so slightly with less stilted strikes and more fluidity common in Surosu. However, the agility and power of Djem So remained at the core of her style.

Anakin smiled as he felt Ahsoka blend herself into the adapted form fairly well, blocking and striking as he studied her when the opening came. He was pleased to note such openings were rapidly closing and becoming shorter as Ahsoka grew more comfortable with the song of the realigned sabers in her hands.

Ahsoka's former teacher seemed to become one with the crystal heart of his saber as he fought her. His form began to change and shift as well, going from almost pure Ataru began to transmute into shades of Vaapad or even more aggressive Sith variant Juyo at times. Such a transition from agility and speed to power and beast-like ferocity would normally unnerve a Jedi if they were to watch the duel. Anakin for some reason, didn't feel the same fear of aggression he suspected many Jedi would have as apart of his mind anilysed his and Ahsoka's shifting combat styles, especially his with it taking cues from Sith.

Anakin and Ahsoka danced in their duel to become reacquainted with themselves and their sabers.

When the pair sat down in the grass on the borders of stone, the stars and the moons of the world of Tython hung beautifully in the sky. Ahsoka couldn't help but to think about Anakin's anguished cry when she was leaving the temple when her eyes raked the heavens. She got up, walked over to where he sat, and squeezed his shoulder. "Want to talk about what happened at the Jedi Temple?"

Anakin looked over at her from watching the darkened moon and sighed. "I don't know what to tell you, Snips." Anakin told her honestly. "I don't know if I can make sense of it myself."

The young Togruta looked at her best friend and former teacher in slight worry as she put a hand on the young man's shoulder nearest to her. "Talk it out, Anakin."

Anakin looked for a moment as if he might shut out the gentle encouragement. His face contorted in an uncomfortable expression for another moment. Then, he began. "Life as a slave was not fun." The Jedi supposed "Chosen One" muttered. "Luckily, Watto wasn't a harsh being unlike Gardulla. Still, something deep inside me always yearned for the freedom of the sky and stars. Mom would tell me stories about a fantastic planetary system fabled to be on the Outer Rim of the Unknown Regions. The natives of this world, giant sentinels over what I would later learn to be The Force, called it Earon."

Anakin smiled at Ahsoka's wide-eyed expression of wonderment. "Exactly, I was so captured by the stories as a child that when Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan offered to train me as a Jedi, I jumped at the chance."

Ahsoka nodded. "You wanted to see the worlds of the galaxy, but you thought the Jedi would take you to the world your Mom spun stories of."

Anakin sighed and laughed. "Such is the innocence of a child."

Ahsoka could feel pain welling up in Anakin and braced for it. "Skyguy, we can stop now if you want."

"No," Anakin said as Ahsoka felt him release the pain he had been holding for a few years now. "You need to hear this." After a deep breath to gather himself, Anakin continued. "When I saw Mom again, she had been captured and tortured by Raiders." Anakin didn't tremble with lingering rage. No, this was sadness and regret. "An alien part of me roared for vengeance to destroy those who had taken my mother from me." Anakin started to heave in an effort to keep control. "I slaughtered them, but I couldn't bring myself to harm innocent women and children."

Ahsoka gasped. "That's what you felt when you watched me leave?"

"It's…difficult to explain." Anakin shook his head. "It was similar in that it felt strange, but this was otherwise very different." Anakin thought back and remembered the icy feel of invisible durasteel blocks on his feet as he helplessly watched Ahsoka retreat further and further from him. "I didn't want you to leave because you had become a part of me. Fear, anger, and regret all teamed together to hold me there." Anakin's unconscious melancholy expression that grew while he spoke melted away into a grin. "Then, something awoke in me that refused to accept defeat and announced itself with that deafening roar."

Ahsoka stopped and looked at him. "Your anger at the Tuskins was not wrong but justified." She pointed to the darkened moon above them. "That moon always circles this world along with its lighter twin. They never crash into Tython, but they circle it in a delicate balance of gravity and motion. The moons have their time in the sky. That time is not forever."

Anakin looked at Ahsoka in shock. "Where…what?"

Ahsoka sighed as she repressed a shiver. "I learned many things while on Mortis." Ahsoka squeezed Anakin's natural hand. "Balance is not held in one side of the Force but conscious control of both aspects." Ahsoka frowned at him. "The Jedi restrain emotion completely and claim to still teach balance. Meanwhile, The Sith don't know control at all." She gestured to the moons. "They attempt to halt the progress of natural law and act as if they can stop the moons from moving and setting."

You cannot stop change, Shmi's voice rang in her son's head, any more than you can stop the suns from setting. Anakin looked at Ahsoka as if he might kiss her, but instead, Anakin only pulled her into a tight hug. "Thank you, Ahsoka."

Ahsoka couldn't help laughing as she felt Anakin's emotions lift tremendously when he let her go and had a realization. I seem to be your Fulcrum, Anakin, your point of balance. "Glad I could help, but we still don't have a plan for making credits."

Anakin sighed. "It's a large galaxy, Ahsoka." An irritated look came over his face. "When peacekeepers become generals, bounty hunters become peacekeepers."

Ahsoka looked deep in thought as she considered the proposal. "I have a few conditions, Skyguy." The former Padawan said firmly. "We never take a job from Separatists, and we investigate the jobs we do consider as best we can to prevent any accidental aiding of the enemy."

One such bounty hunter growled as he considered the mission given to him by his newest employer. Something bothered Cad Bane though as the Duros took a speeder down to one of his many hides on Coruscant and other worlds to prepare. It doesn't make sense. The hunter thought to himself. The young one was leaving the Jedi. That was understood. He removed his wide-brim hat and rubbed his bald blue head in thought as his red eyes traced paper star charts along Skywalker's last known trajectory. Why would Skywalker run with her? From what Bane understood, Skywalker and the Senator were intimate. Anyone with proper optical organs could see that. What changed?

The Duros needed more information and knew where to get it. He smiled as he looked up. There was a contact provided by his employer he was supposed to meet in about two and a half hours. By the appointed time, the Duros collected himself professionally and waited a few blocks from the Temple to be met by a woman in a long black cloak.

"You have the information?"

The figure shrouded in the growing darkness of the quickly approaching Coruscant night only handed the bounty hunter a data chip in response before she backflipped into the smoke of a nearby vent and vanished. With the information in hand, Cad Bane slipped the chip into a slot on his wrist comm for temporary storage and walked at a leisurely pace back to his ship, Xanadu Blood.

Once in the relative safety of his ship, the Duros took the chip out of the slot on his wrist comm and inserted the chip into one of the many data pads tucked away onboard. Let's see what we have, the bounty hunter thought to himself as he scrolled through text. The being's large red eyes squinted as he glared at the pad after a moment. Skywalker won't be easily removed from her. He thought. After a moment more, the being smiled, his pointed grey-yellow teeth flashing into existence from under the Duros' lips. A being called The Son tormented Skywalker and killed the young one on at least one occasion. The record didn't indicate how this was done and instead moved on to the next mission as if the event was just another battle for the Jedi Council. Skywalker didn't seem to trust Jedi with the full truth. Cad Bane thought. That won't stop me. It might actually work in my favor. Bane put his hat back on and looked out the viewport of the ship. I don't know where they are, but I can narrow it down. The Duros then began programming a special device for when he met the duo again. As he worked, the bounty hunter's mind cleared, and he felt a foreign sensation craw into his mind.

Tython, the dark presence whispered. They have fled to the world of Tython.

Cad Bane looked up from the belt of which he was lightly priming circuits on to receive programming and blinked. Something in that voice felt nigh omnipotent just left his mind with the final piece the Duros needed for his plan. A growling laugh rattled through Bane's throat as he left the belt in the care of a subsystem on the ship to be brought into function in part by a tailor made firmware program and a single note of software for the new device.

The presence Bane felt didn't have the same feel as Sidious. They were similar to be sure, but the newest player was far more powerful. Bane knew for certain. He didn't really have any way of explaining why or how he knew, he just did.

With this thought driving him, Bane set course for the forgotten world of Tython. He could already feel the credits in his hand and hear the screams of panic and dread in the Padawan's voice. The imagined scene brought a wide smile to the Duros face as his red eyes twinkled with promised satisfaction. This wasn't just business to be sure. The young one and Skywalker had humiliated him and left him for dead on that CIS ship, and he never left debts unpaid, especially when Jedi were involved.

Good, somewhere beyond space and time the Son observed. Use your anger. I have cloaked you in the Force even to yourself, Cad Bane; but now, I have need of you. The Son would have smiled had he had a body at that moment. Fulfill your vengeance.

Anakin stopped and nodded half-heartedly to what Ahsoka said. I sense something. Anakin realized. A presence I've not felt since… Anakin's thoughts trailed off, and in a moment of panic, he turned quickly to check on Ahsoka. A flash of the Togruta's sickly form with black veins and tired eyes assailed Anakin's for the briefest of measurements. "Ahsoka…"

The young woman could feel her friend's unease. "What is it, Anakin?"

"We need to leave. Now!"

The fear and maelstrom of emotions in Anakin almost knocked Ahsoka down. Fighting to stay upright in the invisible storm, she glared at Anakin and framed his face in her gentle hands. "What's going on?" She said gently yet firmly. "Talk to me."

"The Son…for a split second…" Anakin trailed off as he gathered strength from her calm and slightly worried eyes. "I felt his presence through The Force."

Ahsoka nodded. "He managed to separate us last time because he knew he couldn't take us together." Ahsoka smiled as she brushed a stray bunch of hair from his face before they turned and began to walk to the Aether. "I am your point of Balance. He knew that long before we did, but now that we know, we can properly prepare ourselves and counter appropriately."

Anakin managed to laugh as the pair took their usual seats, his moment of distress gone like vapor in Ahsoka's presence. "We'll be ready for him this time."

As they lifted off, both calmed into a surprisingly peaceful state given the situation. Yes, Skyguy; Ahsoka thought as a smile grew on her face with a warmth in the tips of her Lekku. Together, we can beat him.

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