Episode 5: Separated...but not lost
A gray mist hovers the grassy earth below, the clouds above boom from thunder as rain drizzles across the landscape. Wind guzzles in the air while the calling of birds echoes across the misty morning sky, but below there was a silence so quiet that it carried a deathly aura with it. F was sleeping soundly above the foggy ground, her hands relaxed and her expression undisturbed. A snap of a stick wakes her up, and she senses something below. She doesn't move a muscle as she feels something climb the tree's trunk. F finds a place to start running, but she senses the creature didn't come alone. Warm air from its snarling brush her hood when she leaps to the nearest tree, hearing its jaw snapping when she does. However, another pair of those jaws do snatch onto her metallic heels. F gasps as she's pulled below by another of these predators; she was reckless to underestimate their capabilities.
F kicks off the creatures by the time she lands on the floor. She winces from leg pain, feeling blood drip from the nasty bite marks on her right leg. She had little time to examine this when she sensed a pack of these animals all around her, hiding in the tall shrubs and mist. 'Six…I must've trespassed into their territory,' she thinks, feeling them stop but ready to pounce at her. She stands herself up in a defensive posture, her left hand hovering over her weapon, an act that causes a snarl to echo. 'These creatures are quite intelligent,' she guesses, 'then, maybe they'll be open to reasoning.'
She extends her right hand, locking eyes with the pack leader, whose bright yellow eyes glowed in front of her. She reaches out to the leader and pack through the Force to speak to them.
'Forgive me for trespassing. I'll leave your home at once, and you'll never hear from me again.'
For a moment, it seems to be working. However, just like how F senses their emotions and instincts, they felt hers as well. F senses thier fear, a fear of her, something they felt in her that's now driving them to attack. F couldn't reach out to all of them, losing thier trust and hearing them jump to attack. "No," she utters before thrusting her arms apart, unleashing a powerful Force wave that rocks the surrounding trees. She makes a dash to her ship but is slowed by her wound.
She catches sight of it till one of the creatures jumps onto it, revealing its full form. They were large, canine-like creatures with dark blue fur and multiple rows of teeth. The creature howls, and suddenly a dozen more are heard in the distance. 'They're calling for help,' F realizes, subconsciously grabbing her weapon. 'No! They're just scared,' she argues to herself, choosing to run in the opposite direction and lose them. F runs until the flat plain leads to a small hillslope, nearly causing her to slip while she dashes through the mud and foliage.
F spots a sizable river below. Still sensing the pack closing in and her wound getting worse from the running, F clicks her heels, making them glow a bright yellow. They hum with energy before she propels herself up and over the river with minimal effort. The jump boost fell a bit short; however, F quickly swam to the other side as she landed into the cold river. She crawls to shore beside the thick foliage, her wound now large enough to leave a stream of blood flowing downriver. She senses the pack approaching, not slowing down their chase, perhaps even intending to cross the river. F looks behind her, distracted by the predators that a sudden pull at her cloak surprises her, and she's dragged forward.
F's pulled into a small, hidden hole barely big enough for two humans and is quickly faced by a stranger. It was a human pre-teen boy, likely around twelve or thirteen, carrying a finely crafted wooden club, partially draped in the skin of one of those creatures. His brown face and arms had circular red tattoos dotted across. He shushed her to stay quiet, his amber brown eyes peeking out the wooden bars and grass obscuring their presence. F follows his advice. He pulls out and blows thick red dust over her face and clothes, causing her to shut her eyes. Suddenly, the howls of the creatures cease, and F senses they lost her. She smells the dust to find it's hiding her scent. Soon, they decide to follow her blood down the river, disappearing into the woods.
The teenage boy was silent while ensuring the coast was clear. F takes this second to observe his wear. Underneath the fur coat, the boy wore a poncho with a gorgeous mix of reds, blues, and yellows to make an eye-catching outfit. He wore raw, brown leather pants and well-made wooden sandals. F noticed the jewelry on his arms and wrist, as well as the red and blue wool wrapped around his head and black hair. However, the part that drew her attention was the deformity of his left leg. It was shorter than his right, with the foot twisted to the point where walking would be pretty tricky.
'He's familiar with this land, enough to survive out here,' F pieces together when he crawls out of his hiding hole. F limps out behind him, watching him use the long club as a makeshift walking stick to stand up. He looks up at her with a tired, confused look, likely awoken from a nap by the commotion.
With an apologetic gaze, she bows to him, "thank you and forgive my disturbance." Her generosity is met with a long dagger made from volcanic rock pointed at her. F steps back, looking into his eyes and feeling his sudden fear and anger. She raises her hands, "I'm not an enemy. I'm not gonna hurt you," she says calmly.
He then utters a language F hasn't heard before, causing her to sigh in frustration. 'Doesn't understand basic, or really I don't understand his native tongue. I should've been prepared for instances like this,' she thinks.
He says something while gesturing at her. F looks down to see he's pointing at her lightsaber, mask, and boots. "My tech?" she asks but quickly reminds herself of the language barrier. She extends her hands and tries using hand language to say she's no threat. However, this also didn't reach the boy's understanding, and F felt his confusion rise, staying on the defensive.
'What can I do to convey that I mean no harm?' she wonders. F looks at his deformity and his club before looking at her wound. Her eyes glance between them before locking onto the boy's eyes, and F kneels down, making her defenseless to an attack.
"Friend," she says, pointing at herself. The word is what perks the boy's ears. F saw his eyes shift to curiosity, "friend," she repeats.
"F-friend?" the boy says with an accent.
F nods, "yes, I'm a friend." She raises her hands to show him no weapons, "See? I'm a friend. I'm no enemy," she says. The boy's expression turns back to confusion. F pauses before thinking that the word 'friend' might be the extent of his knowledge of basic. Still, she senses he's taken aback by her gesture and the expression, causing his weariness to dwindle. "I came from the stars," she says softly, emphasizing this by gesturing to the sky. The boy glances up and nods in understanding. F guesses outsiders aren't an unknown concept to him.
A sting from her leg causes her to hiss in pain. F needs to treat this soon unless she wants it to be infected. F says, "I'm hurt, and I can't go back without angering those creatures again." She gestures with her arms to convey her predicament, but she senses uncertainty in the boy.
'There has to be a better way,' she ponders. Her eyes discover a slab of wood with her blood-smeared from before. An idea pops in her head as F grabs the large flat wood, using her blood to draw an image.
Once done, she turns it over to show a simple image of a figure helping a wounded figure in a dome. "Help? Home?" she asks, watching the boy's gaze slowly widen in an understanding of her message.
"Friend…" the boy begrudgingly sighs and lowers his guard. He proceeds to walk upstream towards higher ground. Taking this indication as a 'yes,' F delicately picks herself up and follows, keeping a respectable distance so as not to agitate or even frighten the child. "Am I the first person he met out here?" she whispers to herself.
The trudge through what looks to be an old trail was silent between them. F held back from making any sharp gasps or groans despite her wound. She was surprised at how little trouble the boy had walked with his stick. F guesses he has lived with the leg for all his life. The boy speaks to her and points to a thick shrub covering the path. F shoves the plants aside to find a large pool of water from a roaring waterfall over a hundred feet tall. She gazes up in awe over its beauty, gasping when she sees it's just one cascade of an even more towering waterfall over a thousand feet tall.
The mountain above them was unlike anything F had seen in a while. Few of the planets she fought at required her to traverse mountainous ranges, and she had even fewer opportunities to observe and admire their size.
F hears a whistle. "Erm, Friend!" the boy shouts, having walked ahead. Not wanting to keep him waiting, F follows, climbing up some boulders and into a cave behind the waterfall he calls home.
His home was filled with more conformity than she expected. An impressively large bonfire surrounded a few blankets and metallic pots to rest beside and eat. Large furs and colorful textiles adorn the walls, each blanket being made of some different material with various patterns on each of them. Several tools, dyes, fresh food, and jewelry were stored in multiple pots and baskets. Completed with a furnished, soft-looking swing bed hanging from some stalactites, F stands fascinated by the layout, 'even out here alone, handcrafts and weaving seems important to the culture here,' she thinks.
The boy directs her to one of the cushions before walking to one of the tall pots. F seats herself, and the boy returns with a mixture of herbs and colorful liquids in small, glass vials. She watches as he carefully mixes the ingredients into a small pot, leaving it to heat over the fire before pulling out a sharp bone and string. F offers to do it, but the boy silently insists. She sits back, bearing with the pain as he stitches her wound. The stitching speed was quick, and he was done when the pot was ready. He stirs it with a flat wooden spoon before carefully scooping out a glowing blue gel and applying it to her wound. Within a minute, F gradually feels the pain subside.
"Incredible," she says under her breath. The boy finishes by tying her leg with a clean fabric, and F feels strong enough to stand again. "Truly a prodigy of the craft. I can't thank you enough," she says, bowing in respect which the boy seems to catch on to mean 'thank you. The boy stayed silent, chewing on a planet he picked from one of his pots.
F sensed a distance between them and looked out to the exit, 'should I leave him be? He hardly needs me looking out for him, and perhaps I can make it to my ship if I'm careful.' F ponders. F steps out, sticking her hand out to the waterfall, and wipes any dirt gathered on her hair and face, preparing to head out.
F hears a boom from the sky.
She quickly peeks out to see ships fly by. She pulls out small binoculars to see they didn't appear Imperial but were large cargo ships. However, despite not being Imperial, F sensed trouble nonetheless. F's worries grew when the boy walked out of the cave, having also heard the boom.
"Is that your people?" she asks, pointing at him and the ship while gesturing her message. The boy shakes his head, staring out to the sky with a worried stare.
'If it's not, then what's going on here?' F wonders but can think of no answer, cursing her ignorance. The ships above soon disappear into the clouds, leaving F unnerved of their intentions. Glancing at the boy's worried look, F looked at her weapon and tech before an idea sprang to mind. 'Did he think I was one of them?' she asks herself, pondering how he came to assume this before becoming too curious now to leave.
"Do you have something to draw?" she asks, mimicking drawing with her hands. Before realizing its meaning, the boy mimics her gesture, quickly getting some paper and red dye chalk.
Both sit by the fire as F considers how to communicate. She looks at the boy before beginning her sketch, making it simple and straightforward for the young one to understand. After blowing away dye fragments, F shows him a drawing of her ship flying down from a starry sky, followed by a cloaked figure observing a forest. "That was me from last night, and this is my ship," she points, "I'm alone, see? I was running from another danger,' she continues. She flips the page to show her ship being attacked by others, fires erupting in the stars above.
The boy looks back at her with a quizzical expression. He picks up blue dye chalk and starts his own drawing. F notices the difference from her skills taught by the Jedi upon looking at his picture, bearing sharper edges and sense of detail to her more round and minimalist drawings. He speaks while showing her a comparison of her ship to the ones they saw, along with sketches of advanced tech and people in the forest.
"Okay," F whispers while observing the drawings, "you thought I was one of them," F says, pointing at the ships and herself. The boy nods, flipping the page over to reveal detailed sketches of weapons and animals killed by those blasters. "You thought I was dangerous because everyone coming here has only hurt the land," she whispers.
The boy hands back the paper, a deep sadness present in his expression. F also sensed pent-up anger over his home being hurt by these stragglers. 'I don't understand. Who are these people? They at least don't appear to be Imperial, not even any crime syndicate, but that only makes their presence all the more confusing,' she contemplates. She looks back out to the entrance where they saw those ships, 'I can't sense anything out there. They might even be off-world by now…good riddance then.'
F draws her following sketch and shows him a picture of a boy holding hands with a family, "do you have a family?"
The boy stares down at the paper, his lips quivering as he rips the family away from the boy, separating them. F felt her stomach sink, watching the boy hug the family, drawing and turning his back to her. "You've been separated, lost out here," F whispers to herself, not wanting to press the subject any further. "I'm sorry. I know that feeling too," she says as painful cries of the past creep into her mind.
F hugs her knees while the fire reflects off her blue irises. "I don't know what I can say that'll help you. We can barely even understand each other," she murmurs, "I can only say that…that they'll be proud and happy that you're surviving. I know they are." Staring into the fire, F can almost make out an image of the temple she once called home. A rupture of joyous giggles and horrific cries intertwining in her mind's memories.
She averts her gaze, the strain on her eyes being too much. F looks over at the boy, huddled in his corner like she is. He tenderly brushes his thumb over the drawing, wishing for the day he can see them again. F sees a shadow of her old self in him, that child alone in a distant star with no one to call family. Sometimes, F wondered what a child could turn into…what she could've turned into after being left alone in the dark for so long.
"Not again," she whispers, picking up the other torn shred of paper and scavenging through the cave. This catches the boy's attention, and F gestures to him, "a map, do you have a map of the land? Some clue as to where we can find them!"
F keeps up her search while the boy sits still. His mind swirls about what she means and if it's possible. He looked over to his bed, hesitating to cling onto any false hope but was unable to stop his feet and arms from moving closer until he pulled his map from under the bed. He grunts, catching F's attention as he raises the map scroll.
They huddle around the fire as he opens it. Inside was a big X marking where they were. F soon sees they're right beside a valley between two tall stone mountain ranges. Across the Eastern snowy mountain range and rivers was a road into a city deep within the far east jungles.
F then notices several drawn trails through the terrain, trying to reach this city. "You've been looking for a way back. You still have hope," she whispers, giving an impressed smile beneath her mask. "Is this where your people could be, your family?" F asks, pointing between the map and the drawing. The boy gave an unsure expression, but she sensed the personal hope that they were there.
F pauses herself and considers what she's committing herself. In the eyes of the galaxy, the fragile state of resistance against its new oppressors, does her duty as a Jedi not require her to assist these more significant crises over helping this little boy find his way home? She recognizes that she's staying out of sight of these cunning Imperial Hunters, but this endeavor will take longer than even she planned. Every wasted second meant not connecting and aiding resistance cells. She glances at the boy who hasn't once looked away from her. Looking into his eyes, she, for the first time, sees a vulnerability only a child could show. A need to have someone to depend on when everyone else is gone.
As a Jedi representing the Order, F knew her mission would be out there. However, as her own Jedi, F knew her duty right now was here.
"Better shot than nothing," she sighs, drawing a trail from their target to where they are now and calculating the distance in her head. "Let's see…given the size of the forest and the planet…added with terrain," she mutters as the boy watches her work. "It's gonna be difficult, at least a day's walk through the valley to reach the mountain range, then likely a few more days to traverse the mountains if we're careful."
F looks back at the boy and to his left foot, saying, "that's been stopping you from crossing the mountains." The boy looks away, likely guessing why she's looking at him.
F sighs, tapping her mask while pondering on how she's gonna do this. 'My ship will only seat one. Even one more person on board, and we run the risk of crashing,' she thinks. She looks out the cave entrance, already seeing the sunset in the distance.
"We'll figure it out along the way," she announces, standing up and opening her bag to prepare supplies for the both of them. She grabs the boy's attention by gesturing, "I'm taking you home."
As F prepared, the boy sat there as if asking himself if she meant it. If this otherworldly stranger will actually help him. Fears and anticipation rack his heart as he tugs at her black cloak, asking in his language if she promises her word. If she's a true friend. F turns to him, watching his eyes beg for an answer through words that were utterly unknown to her. However, she can sense his wish for a yes. That he won't be alone to face this task.
"My friend," she addresses, getting on one knee and facing him with assurances. She unclips and unveils her lightsaber to her, closing her eyes as she extends the hand holding it sideways. The saber is ignited in a flash of golden yellow, shocking the little boy who stares at it in awe. She pulls back ignited blade, hugging it over her heart and bowing her head, "by my blade, by the code and through the will of the Force, I vow that I will return you to your people. I swear it until the last of my strength leaves me."
It was an old Jedi oath, an ancient one, that stuck with F. And, watching the lost boy plea, F figures he deserves a vow only a true Jedi would give to instill hope. Slowly, the boy understands the vow. He quickly puts on a strong face, wiping his eyes to show his resolve. F feels her heart warmed from such a child-like display. He nods at her, his eyes entirely determined as he raises his dagger high in the air. In his native tongue, the boy utters his own vow of guiding F on their journey.
He extends his hand and utters, "Friend."
"Hehe, yes, friends," F says with a small smile, clinking the hilt of her lightsaber to his dagger. She points at her chest, "F. I am F."
"F?" the boy says quickly enough. She nods enthusiastically and pumps his chest, "Sinta!"
"Hm, nice to meet you, Sinta."
/-/-/-/-/-/
F asks the young Sinta behind her, "Comfortable back there?" She turns her head to him as Sinta clung onto her back cloak along with some blankets tying him onto her. She slung on a bag of provisions that should last them the journey.
"Friend!" Sinta whined, clearly not enthusiastic about being carried like this.
"It may hurt your pride, Sinta, but this is better for you. I don't want you to get hurt with that leg," she says, though the language barrier prevented much of her words from fully reaching him. "Besides, I don't mind the extra weight," F shrugs, remembering her training days.
Sinta seems to give one last huff before accepting the arrangement. He pulls out the map when they reach a split of the river, offering two choices to go left or right. Sinta quickly acts as a guide and points right, "Ramos!" he chants.
"Yes, Ramos," F smirks. She bends her knees, activating her heels before dashing onwards at high speed with minimal effort. "You okay back there?" she asks.
"T-triene," he mutters and nods as F runs through the grass, rocks, and water.
F keeps a keen focus on her running while using the momentum to dash upwards upon reaching a steeper incline. She only diverts her attention once to look up at the sky and clouds, both colored a wonderful mix of violets and orange by the setting sun. 'By the end of this, I hope his people find peace again,' F wishes, running deeper into the wild as the mist of the eastern mountain range looms over.
/-/-/-/-/-/
Dusk settled in on the green valley F sprinted through, not slowing down even for a moment over the last many hours. However, such speed has cut in half what would've taken Sinta well over a day. They hardly worried about any predators thanks to F's speed and presence. Not many words were shared between the two for obvious reasons, but a yawn informs F that he began to grow tired. F looks up to see where the river has led them and finds she's reached the first checkpoint towards their destination. She marvels upon looking at stairs carved against the massive stone eastern wall with a waterfall and moss pattern next to it.
F approaches moss-covered stone steps to a man-made platform leading to the steps. She guessed from the pieces of foundation and wrecked pillars that were once a structure, perhaps two generations ago. She approaches a tall and thick stone archway. The front peak of the arch with a golden disk with a fierce face depicting the sun with a silver disk representing the moon carved next to it.
"Dalto!" Sinta suddenly shouted, thrusting his hand forward to signal F to stop. She does so before passing, at first worried there was danger. Instead, Sinta gets off her and places down a hand-sized statue in front of the archway. He looks up at the disk and mutters a quiet chant while relaxing his posture.
F looks up to see it's likely a symbol of two gods or goddesses, and so following her rule, F respectively stays quiet until Sinta is finished.
F quickly sets up a fire by the base of the wall, feeling the cool breeze of the waterfall beside them while Sinta tiredly gazes up at the moon. F double-checked the condition of tomorrow's hike to the mountain when Sinta handed her a drawing.
"You drew something?" she asks, opening it to see a detailed illustration of the moon and sun in humanoid form. It was then she realized it was a visual story of two gods. They were surrounded by nothingness, with this planet being thier only home. After many years, the gods sang a song. All around them breathed life as they sang, lights igniting amongst the heavens. It's what made trees thick and robust. It is why the mountains rise high enough to touch the heavens. It's what caused many delicious crops to grow and rivers to carve through rock. It's what caused various animals to be born out of the earth's soil, and eventually, it's what created the first people.
Having seen what this song could do, the gods ascended to heaven but not before crowning a king and teaching the people the ways of civilization. Their final gift was a golden scepter that, upon stabbing through rock and soil, was where a great city was created out of the mountainside and where the king and his people shall live.
"Beautiful," F whispers, smiling over the wonderfully drawn figures and symbols before glancing at the boy who shyly looked at her. "Thank you for sharing this, Sinta," F bows respectively, handing it back to him. Sinta nods appreciatively of the gesture. F tries to remember how many of the worlds and people in the galaxy see the universe differently from Jedi. Learning long ago of the beauty in such diversity and perspectives.
She sees the fire is getting a little low and goes to pick up the extra wood sticks when her heel hits a bag Sinta carries. She makes sure nothing breaks when she finds a uniquely carved wood statue of a two-headed bird and another of a canine. She held up the canine, inspecting it to see it's modeled after the ones that snuck up on her.
"F!" Sinta shouted, excitedly standing up and grabbing the statue. He pops off its head, surprising F, and pours in water from one of their water pouches. Once done and popping the head back on, he gently raises it, and a soft yet powerful whistle echoes against the mountainside. At first, F was worried she heard a pack of those creatures, but quickly saw what she grabbed were whistles vessels. Each perfectly mimicking the sound of that creature. It was eerie to F how close it was to the animals she encountered, as Sinta did the same with the bird vessel.
"Incredible," F nods, which seems to make Sinta happy. She grabs the sketchpad and draws her questions, "you made these yourselves?" Given the skills the boy showed, it wouldn't surprise F if he dabbled in arts and crafts as well. However, Sinta's response wasn't quite as she expected. In fact, Sinta frowns and holds the wolf whistle closely before sitting back down. He nervously taps his fingers before grabbing one of the shreds of papers of a family. He adds an additional person, someone with long black hair, older than him yet younger than the parents.
"Did your older sister make this?" F asks.
"Nana," Sinta whispers. F sensing deep worry and wanting to see her again. It was here Sinta pulled out an older-looking sketchpad, different from the one they both had been using. Opening it, he showed an F drawing also different from his own, likely drawn by this Nana. They invoke memories of happier times. Of the sister's rapturous joy upon learning she now has a younger brother, of showing him toys, various animals she drew herself and even doing her part in teaching him their language. F saw they stuck together since the beginning, even when days have grown darker.
F turns the pages to see an old illustration of a vibrant, populous city. Looking to the next page, F's eyes widen in shock at sketches of a miserable plague and great sadness. Red rashes spread across the bodies of both young and old. The fit and sickly coughing are increasingly painful as blood squirts out of their lungs. The last illustration was of a row of bodies buried and the remaining residents leaving. "A plague happened," F says solemnly. Her eyes dart to the upper corner to see a date written in basic by the sister, showing they left almost a year ago after a year of awful sickness. F didn't know how such a horrible disease sprung up, but she hoped Sinta wouldn't see such terrible times again.
He flips to the last pages, this time of his own depicting their people moving to other towns and villages. He was being taught hunting when a deadly wildfire spread across the forest. The last illustration is a Sinta, deep in sadness and surrounded by a burnt forest with no sight of his people even as he shouted at the top of his lungs.
F shut her eyes, unable to gaze upon such tragedy. Her heart falls, feeling a lump in her throat that she has to hold back. There also grew a great empathy to Sinta, Nana, and all their people had to go through. Sinta was dead silent as he hugged his sister's drawings, falling to his bed while covering himself up with blankets. F feels a great sadness revibrating from Sinta, a sense of loss built up over countless weeks of loneliness. The anguish she knew all too well and wished for no one to experience.
F scoots beside Sinta's spot, hesitantly raising her hand before gently placing it on his uncovered hair. Brushing his head with her thumb, F did her best to comfort the lost brother the only way she knew how. "You're not alone anymore," F whispers, gazing into the fire as the stillness of nature gives them a peaceful night. "Sinta. F will stay." Soon, his remorse was replaced with peace of mind, and he gently fell asleep beside the crackling fire.
F stayed awake for as long as she could. She was used to getting light sleep anyway. She wanted to help give the young boy at least one night of peace, an assurance nothing would hurt or disturb him.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/
Wrapped up in a black cloak far too big for her, a young F peeked her tired little eyes out to see it's still nighttime. She didn't see the moon and didn't feel eager to go back to bed, nor did she feel comfortable staying somewhere that felt so small even if it wasn't. F covered herself with most of the black and cool red cloak; the rest dragged through the floor as she walked through the quiet youngling halls looking for a snack.
It still felt odd to simply grab some food rather than scavenge for it. Never again would F have to spend a night starving or cold.
Grabbing some fruit slices, she continues roaming outside the youngling chambers until a humming is heard whistling through the halls. F peeks into a standard temple lounge room to see Master Hitoshi humming while gazing onto the busy city. A song is what F thinks his humming sounded like, but it wasn't one she ever heard before, but she hasn't precisely heard many to really tell. She quietly stays in her corner until, "Good morning, little one," Hitoshi says.
F frowned over being found again, but she didn't try to run instead of staying put in her spot.
"Why are you up?" he gently asks, unmoving from his spot while watching the city skyline.
F tightened her lips, unsure what to say before deciding to say whatever came naturally. "I didn't wanna sleep."
"That'll eventually hurt you, little one," Hitoshi advised
"I-...think it's harder for me to sleep alone. It wasn't before, but i-it is now."
Hitoshi nods, "we can ease you into sleeping with your assigned clan if you now feel more accepting of the idea."
F, who's been only peeking one eye out of the corner, pokes out her head and nods. Then she mumbles, "f-for now, can I stay here, next to you?"
"Only if it'll help you find slumber again," Hitoshi said simply.
"M-maybe."
Hitoshi gestures to the open seat opposite of him. The air was cool, and the city bustle created soothing background noise, creating an inviting sleeping spot for F. Shyly walking over, F lays down on the wide red seat, covering herself with her black cloak. Hitoshi was close by, his demeanor calm yet protective, to give F that assurance he won't walk away and will look after her as she sleeps.
F hums the tune he was humming before, getting a slight amused reaction from Hitoshi, who sits back and hums with her the song. This was the first time since Hitoshi found her that F felt safe from the nightmares, from the whispers in her head. Whether because it was the presence of another, or Hitoshi himself, she didn't know, but as F approached peaceful slumber, it didn't matter much to her.
"The rise of the Magina," Hitoshi murmurs, looking up at the galaxy above, but F is already asleep. F, ever tiny and fragile against a massive, unknown galaxy, felt serenity under the watchful eyes of another.
/-/-/-/-/-/
The might of the mountains proved themselves with every step F took through the snow-covered trail as she ran through the half tunnel carved from the side of the mountain. Keeping up yesterday's pace, she also has to frequently remind herself not to look down the very, very high drop beside her. She, too, made sure Sinta was firmly on her back as they quickly descended down the narrow part. F flinches slightly upon hearing a piece of snowfall above. Hugging the wall as more snow falls on the path and her strong gust of wind brush the vibrant, bright blue sky.
Her breath is nearly knocked out of her upon seeing the supposed upcoming wooden bridge wholly gone. Almost as if it was cut off, which catches her attention. F estimated the jump was well over twenty meters, and peeking down showed her nothing but rocks, shrubs, and a steep slope. "This is our only way?" F asks, pointing at the lack of bridge between them.
Sinta nods, clinging tightly onto her robes and back.
F looked again and couldn't believe what she was about to do. She steadies her breathing at this high altitude, "trust in the Force," she whispers to herself. Sinta realizes what she's gonna do and quietly prays. F steps back as far as she can before dashing forward and leaping off the cliff edge.
Sinta screamed, feeling the gravity trying to push them down but also felt F's using her abilities to push them just a bit further. F's eyes briefly panicked as the gravity grew to overpower her, stretching her lightsaber forward and activating while stabbing it into the earth. It stops their fall, and F quickly leaps up onto the rocky platform, successfully making it.
Both shared a nervous laugh and stayed close to the ground before continuing through the mountain range.
After a night on the mountainside, F is thankful to see the zig-zag path ahead meant a descent down the mountains and into lower elevation and a light jungle. Descending downwards, F saw how high from sea level they still are, a testament to the sheer scale of the highlands of this planet. Sinta marveled at the sight of the ocean in the very far distance, the sun rays glittering against its vast blue waters.
F's legs began to grow tired after a collective two-day sprint and carrying Sinta. Given how far they still have left, walking will waste potentially hours. She walked the path entering the jungle, the chirps, and howls of its ecosystem echoing in the distance. Around them were nothing but thick, Viney trees with moss riddling the stone path. Looking up at the treeline, F has an idea to pick up speed again. "Sinta, you okay flying?" she asks. Sinta barely had time to respond before F leaps up, cutting a vine and using it to swing forward, leaping off to grab another vine.
Sinta's cries of shock were soon replaced by cheer and merriment over the display and excitement of it all. F leaps off and slides down a long, windy tree branch at such fast speed it felt as if she was surfing on it. F knew this was showing off, that just swinging would be enough, but something about the energy life around her was offering to her was so empowering. It felt as if she was having fun. Gosh, when was the last time she even smiled for this long? Leaping from branch to vine, feeling the Force guide her through the motions gracefully like the wind, F was reminded of the sheer majesty of the Force.
How it could be a part of her as a guardian rather than just a warrior.
/-/-/-/-/-/
The night was approaching but so was their destination, the spot where Sinta's family and people may be residing. 'Maybe…no, they have to be there,' she thinks as they near the edge of the jungle.
Sinta plays with the bird vessel, causing whistling to echo throughout the jungle.
F smiled from the pleasant sound, reminding her of simpler times. Her lips twitch nervously before doing a little whistle herself. Sinta pauses when F slowly whistles a little tune, but she sees he is looking, making her blush in embarrassment. Sinta puts away the vessel and tries mimicking her whistles to varying degrees of success. F chuckles at his attempt, joining in as she returns to feeling comfortable and awkwardly trying to form some type of melody.
Both travelers roam the jungle grounds, whistling in harmony with the symphony of the wild.
Suddenly, a familiar sound interrupts them, 'another pack,' F quickly determines. She turns and squints her eyes through the darkness to see rustling in the bushes behind them, slowly stepping back as Sinta grows deathly quiet.
"Urku," he whispers in terror.
When he did, a loud shatter of wood caused both of them to flinch. The cries of the pack were heard before disappearing. Not waiting around to see what this Xicale is, F turns and runs out of the jungle. The moment she did, she sensed the creature chasing after them. F has her lightsaber at the ready, exiting the thick jungle and finding the last rickey bridge and on the other side was a tunnel leading to their destination.
F also saw a few wood planks shattered, not confident about the bridge's sturdiness. A growl is heard from the jungle and F quickly set's Sinta down, "Go! Go!" she shouts, pushing him forward once he has his club. Sinta worriedly looks back but follows her orders. F has her guard up and faces the jungle, waiting for Sinta to cross when the trees rustle before her.
Orange eyes peek from the canvas before the beast emerges. It was a dark-furred bear-like giant that stood over 17 feet tall; the scorch marks on its skin show that it could shrug off blaster fire. F stared at its long sharp claws and furious maw, sensing its hunger. She lowers her lightsaber and extends her hand, stretching out her feelings with the Force. The beast stands guard before suddenly shaking and scratching its head; she's tapping into its mind, able to concentrate all her energy to quelling the singular foe. It roars and tries to swipe at her, but the Urku seems overpowered by the mental suppression.
'You will let us pass,' she messages to the Urku's mind, forcing it away.
"F!" Sinta shouted, signaling that he crossed.
She follows his head and backs up onto the bridge, not stopping for a moment from her mental defense. She gathered that this Urku was intelligent enough to attack the bridge support when she lets go. F felt the Urku's anger grow, fighting back against F and swiping at one of the support beams, rocking the bridge. F, however, keeps up her defense, glaring at the beast with matching ferocity.
The Uruk roared back, trying to stay strong until slowly backing away. Its piercing orange eyes soon disappeared into the jungle.
F leans on the bridge rail to support herself upon letting go. Though she slumped over exhausted from defeating such ferocity, F raises her blade in victory before deactivating it. Sinta helps her across, silent from watching such an invisible yet powerful display. They trudge through the tunnel, quickly seeing the light in the distance and semblance of structures. F never would've figured a town this high up could be built, but this world and its people have never ceased to impress her.
The glow of the moon shone on them upon emerging out, Sinta letting go and jogging as fast as he could while crying out, "Nana! Apa! Ama!" F followed eagerly before coming to a dead stop, dropping her lightsaber and nearly collapsing on her knees to what's before her.
"No…" she whispered. A desolate town was all that was here, its stone homes and towers broken and burnt. The grass and flowers were wilted and dead. Water fountains and gardens in the center plaza were empty, and an eerie silence hung over the mountain. F picks herself up, approaching Sinta to find not a tear in his eye but only a finished look of defeat. He was too late.
F wrapped her arms around him in a hug, but his arms were limp, frozen in shock and anguish. "Why did this happen?" F whispered, shutting her eyes from the terrible sight. "Gods, please don't let this be true."
A cry is heard, causing both F and Sinta to look to where it came from. F carried Sinta as she dashed through the destroyed streets, sensing a presence in one of the burnt homes. She activates her lightsaber to illuminate the room, discovering a child cowering beside a ruined wall overlooking a valley. Sinta hops off F, making sure the 6 or 7-year-old wasn't hurt and calming her down. F kneels beside them once she sees she's safe. Sinta gently asks the girl, "Qao paco?"
She wipes her eyes and points to the distant valley below. F looks closer to see lights and smoke in the distance. She pulls out her binoculars, zooming in to see an industrial town and one of the large ships seen before landing there. F hands the binoculars to Sinta as she tries to quell the quiet fury roaring in her heart. If looks could kill, then the whole city would be dead right now. Sinta talks to the girl some more, sketching something before showing it to F. The inhabitants were taken in shackles.
"I'll get them back," F vows, loosening her grip on her weapon to place her hand on Sinta's shoulder. "This, I swear."
/-/-/-/-/-/
A large black spacecraft sets foot onto the world somewhere beyond a dark misty valley. The Imperial insignia coats the ship's side, its tall doors open as its occupants march out.
Imperial Purge Troopers. One of the first of thier kind.
They wore heavy lightsaber-resistant armor, which was as black as night. Dried blood smeared across their stormtrooper helmets, etching into their armor to how many Jedi they killed. Over a dozen troopers walkout, along with an additional platoon of stormtroopers, all of whom were led by a Purge Commander marked by his red kama and pauldron. He unsheathed his electro staff and silently commanded his troops to scour the jungle before vanishing into the darkness.
A/N: Thank you for the follows, they really do help me write. Here I decided to do a more light-hearted story and task F with a more personal quest that shines a bit of light on her mentality, emotions, and past. The little Jedi oath is something I too made up since I thought of touching on the chivalry & honor side of the Jedi. Also, the Luke-Yoda parallel is purely coincidental. Added a music piece during the two's trek since I felt it fit with the energetic, upbeat tone and progression.
Also, the people living in Ragoon here are VERY different from the ones in legends, which I found too vague to work with among other reasons. So I changed it so to give them a new life, a sense of culture and history. Due to the environment of the planet, I personally based it on Incan society and myth for the most part. A civilization that's known for building an empire on top of towering mountain ranges.
Hope you all enjoyed it! The next chapter will likely be the last of the Ragoon Arc.