This is a completely AU fanfiction of Star Wars, using some of their characters, and some of mine. I am just pretty much pretending the whole "New Order" series doesn't exsist, while I am still using the characters in them, the storyline doesn't quite go the same. I do not own anyone except for Aaralyn Duskshade and Darth Shanker/Corban Spectral.
"Sir...we are losing members quickly. What should we do?" A man in a suit asked. The man he was talking to had black clothes on, and a black cape. His wavy brown hair hung in front of his light brown eyes.
"There is a disturbance in the force. A strong Jedi has risen.. and perhaps, even an ally. If you disturb me again, I will not refrain from killing you. You may leave." The man said, glaring.
"Thank you, Darth Shanker." The man said, giving a quick nod, and high-tailing it out of there.
"We will have some soon enough." He mumbled to himself, before letting out a slight cackle.
Weeks passed. Aaralyn grew more knowledgeful in the force, and was just finishing up training with Anakin Skywalker.
"Concentrate. Don't let things get in your mind when you are so focused." Anakin Skywalker told Aaralyn. She was sitting cross-legged on a mat. She was focused on moving small crates and stacking them into piles. Focus Lyn.. just focus. She kept telling herself, stretching out with her mind and feelings. As she was in mid-lift of one of the crates, she got a horrible image flashing through her mind. She saw a man in a black cloak, cackling. It didn't end there. More random flashes of images started flashing in her head, making her almost physically ill from their speed and what they contained. She saw Anakin Solo fighting someone.. but who? Then she saw Ben Skywalker swinging his lightsaber down on her, an evil look in his eyes.
"Aaralyn! Aaralyn! Whats wrong?" Anakin Skywalker's voice echoed through the images. She blinked rapidly a few times, and opened her eyes, the images leaving.
"What happened?" She asked, her heart racing.
"You tell me." Was all he could say. She glanced around the room. Windows were broken, the crates were flung about the room, some of them shattered across the floor.
"I did that?" She asked, her jaw dropped.
"Yes. You all of a sudden, in the midst of concentrating, held your head, and things began shooting around the room nonstop. You kept saying "Its fate!" over and over." Anakin said, shifting his weight.
"I did? I saw things.. horrible things.." She said. She glanced up to the confused expression on Anakin Skywalker's face. "I need to talk to Anakin." She concluded.
"Thats fine. We are done here now, anyway." Anakin said, giving her a nod. She stood up, and gave him a repectful nod back. She started making her way towards the door. "Oh, Aaralyn." He called out. She stopped, and turned to look at him. "I want you to work on using your feelings openly. Don't bottle things up. And you still have a lot of fear in you, I want to see that gone." He said. Aaralyn gave a slow nod, and left the training region.
Anakin sat in his guest room at the Jedi Temple. They had been stranded there for weeks, his Uncle putting their mission to discover who exactly was Darth Shanker on hold while Aaralyn caught up on her Jedi skills. Since she seemed to be an extraordinarily fast learner, Luke decided they could just wait, and then she could go with them. He was sprawled on his bed, on his back, his hands folded under his head, and his legs propped up on the wall. He was just thinking about all that had happened in the few weeks he had known Aaralyn. He could sense some "hidden" feelings she was keeping in about him, but of course, to a Jedi, nothing is hidden. He wondered if she could sense anything he felt for her. She was more advanced, after all. He sat up in his bed. He sensed something was wrong with Aaralyn, and not even a second later, there was a knock on his door. He opened it up, and there she stood.
"What's wrong?" He asked, worried, as they sat on his bed.
"I saw things.. horrible things." She said, glancing at the floor. She continued by explaining everything she saw.
"You saw me fighting someone? Who?" Anakin asked, concerned.
"I don't know. I think it was the man I saw in the black cloak." Aaralyn guessed.
"And Ben was attacking you with his lightsaber? Oh geez.." Anakin said, obtaining the same worried look Aaralyn had, onto his own face. They sat in silence for a moment.
"Hey! Aren't you and Ben going to be getting your master titles soon?" Aaralyn asked, in attempts to break the dampered moods.
"Yeah, in two weeks. So major training is happening. What about you? Your done with Grandpa now?" Anakin asked, smiling.
"Yup. He even taught me lightsaber skills. I mean, he couldn't necessarily fight me with one as a test, but he said that you, Paron, and Ben would help me with that." Aaralyn said.
"Then I bet that is what the Ben vision you saw was. Him practicing lightsaber battle with you!" Anakin said with hope in his voice.
"Yeah.. maybe.. but the look in his eyes. It was a look of betrayal." Aaralyn said, biting her lip.
"Lets go ask Luke if we can train with you for lightsaber practice." Anakin said, changing the subject, and hopping off the bed. Aaralyn went to get up but tripped, and fell into Anakin's arms. She lifted her head up to apologize, and blushed when realizing how close his face was. He started leaning closer, and adrenaline surged through Aaralyn's body. He was just close enough to actually kiss her, and knocking came to his door. They jumped back from each other, and the door opened.
"Hey guys!" Paron said, coming in, with Ben closely following. "Whats up?" She asked with a smile.
"Nothing. Just talking." Anakin lied. Ben analyzed him for a minute.
"So, wanna go ask my Dad if we can practice lightsaber fighting with Aaralyn?" Ben asked his cousin.
"How did you know..?" Aaralyn questioned.
Ben tapped his head. "Jedi, duh." He said with a smile. The four of them left the room, and headed to Luke's area.
"Can we help practice lightsaber fighting with Aaralyn?" Ben asked his Dad, who warmly welcomed them into his room.
"What did my father say of this?" Luke questioned Aaralyn.
"Oh, he said that I am ready to train, and that it would be best with them, since the age thing and all." Aaralyn explained.
"And how did he saw you did?" Luke asked.
"He said I did wonderful on training. That I can train with the boys once they become masters." Aaralyn said, purposely keeping out the part about her having too much fear. Luke hesitated.
"Alright. I want to know who wins." He said with a grin, "You can practice in the Closed Lab downstairs. Its sealed from the inside, with no windows or anything to bug you. That way, if your battling Paron, and Ben is next, he can't see your style, since he will be waiting outside the room." Luke said, smirking.
"Thats neat." Aaralyn said, grinning.
"Yes, most Jedi's enjoy it, since their attack style is a surprise to whoever they fight." Luke said. They all nodded their goodbyes from him, and headed down to the room.
"Luke? Everything okay?" Leia asked, walking in with Han, and sitting down.
He sighed. "Yes, but the girl has already picked up lying. She intentionally is keeping things from people. My Father is right, she has too much fear in her." Luke answered.
"Give her time, I'm sure she will calm down and not be so tense." Han said.
"Yeah, even though it has been a few weeks, this whole Jedi World is still new to her as ever. Patience, brother." Leia said with a grin.
"Oh, I see, your telling the master how to be a good Jedi?" Luke asked, laughing.
The lightsaber hummed and vibrated in Aaralyn's hands. She was granted a green one, which she was pleased about. Paron, across from her, had a purple one. The two girls touched lightsabers, and began to practice. Aaralyn swung the saber around with ease, blocking every strike without hassle. Paron, on the other hand, was struggling, and trying her hardest to get past the blocks, and the forceful strikes. Within ten minutes, Paron was unarmed, with Aaralyn winning.
"Good job!" Paron said, out of breath, "I haven't ever seen a Jedi who wielded the lightsaber so smoothly!" The two girls exited the room to an anxious Ben and Anakin.
"Well?" Ben asked, excited.
"Aaralyn won." Paron said simply, adding a smile.
"Who next?" Aaralyn asked, glancing at the two boys.
"Me." Ben said confidently. Aaralyn gulped and plastered on a smile as they made their way into the room, the door shutting automatically behind them.
"She used so much force when attempting to strike me. I sense she was using anger to fuel her fighting." Paron commented to Anakin.
"Well, maybe that is her way of fighting." Anakin said, wishing he could see Ben and Aaralyn fighting.
"Anakin! Jedi's don't use anger to help them fight. Jedi's can not use anger at all!" Paron said, slightly appauled.
"Oh yeah, sorry, I was sort of zoning off. But just give her time, I'm sure its just a stage until she can knowledgefully use her lightsaber." Anakin mumbled.
Inside the room, Ben was having difficulties keeping up with Aaralyn. But he had gotten a few strikes in, but everything was blocked.
"Stop using anger!" Ben cried out, jumping out of the way from a blow.
"I'm not!" Aaralyn yelled back, smashing her lightsaber into his block. He was on the opposite side of the room, so Aaralyn used the force to hold up her lightsaber, and sent it shooting at Ben. He held up his lightsaber, blocking hers, which began to have more strength after every second. He noticed its power was slowly scooting him back.
"I forfeit!" He yelled out. Her lightsaber slowly let off of him, and went shooting back into her hands. They turned their lightsabers off. "You need to watch your style of fighting. You are valuing winning and competition over battling for what is good." Ben said, narrowing his eyes.
"But don't we want to win our fights?" Aaralyn questioned.
"Yes we do. But your valuing strength and power as you fight. Your craving for more power as the fight continues." Ben said, sighing.
"So wanting to be stronger, so I can beat the enemy is a bad thing?" Aaralyn asked, crossing her arms.
"Yes and no. Its good to know how strong you are in a battle, so you don't overshoot your limits. But its bad to dwell on becoming powerful, because that is a quality of the darkside." Ben said, leaving the room. He glanced at Anakin. "Your up." He said hastily. Anakin gave him an odd look, and entered the room.
"So, how was it?" Paron asked.
"She is using anger and fear to help her win. She is craving power and strength, wanting more." Ben said, glancing at the floor.
"I could sense that too. What should we do?" Paron asked.
"We can see how it goes the next week or so. If it persists, or we notice it more, we have to tell my Dad. If it keeps happening.. she will be already entangled with the Dark Side." Ben said, sighing.
"So, Ben was mad he lost?" Anakin said, blocking a hit.
"Yeah, he gave me this whole, 'Your using anger to help you fight, and you are craving power to win your battles' bit. I personally think he was mad he lost, so tried to make me feel bad." Aaralyn said with a laugh. She felt bad talking about her friend like that, but he was out of line.
"Yeah. He never loses, so I bet that really got under his skin. I mean, I don't sense anything of the sort!" Anakin said happily. He would've felt bad talking about Ben if he sensed anger in Aaralyn too. But all he sensed was infatuation and happiness. Aaralyn half-heartedly blocked Anakin's hit. "Your letting me win." Anakin said with a smirk.
"Maybe..." She said, giggling. She turned off her lightsaber. "No, actually, I don't feel like practicing anymore. I think I am good enough now." She added.
Anakin turned off his lightsaber too. "Yeah, from what I have heard, you will have no problem in an actual battle."
"Well, do you want to go back out there?" She asked, making a face.
"No." He said with a laugh, "How about I help you focus on reading minds?" She nodded. "Alright, what am I thinking about?" He asked, focusing entirely on Ben losing and the hilarity of the situation. Aaralyn closed her eyes and focused hard. Search your feelings... She thought. A second later, it became very clear.
"How funny it is Ben lost." She said with a giggle. Anakin nodded.
"Good job." He said, grinning.
"Now, Mr. Jedi Knight, read my mind." She said, stepping closer. He smiled.
"You think I'm hot. And that I am just the coolest guy you have ever met.. and you desperately want me to kiss you." Anakin said, gloating.
"Oh yeah, I want a piece of that." Aaralyn said with sarcasm, adding a smile. "Really. Tell me." Anakin smiled and closed his eyes. He saw confused images that shot through his head, well, really, her head, since he was reading her mind. Images of sadness, death. But then he sensed fear, loneliness, anger, jealousy. And past all of that, he sensed love. As he sensed this, images of him faded through her head. He sensed shyness towards the situation, and many more feelings she was bottling up.
"You are scared about death. And you have seen a lot of death, especially in your family so far in your life. Your scared from that, and it left you lonely. It makes you sad every day.. but you use your anger to fuel you away from those feelings. And then, you have love. But the person you love.. your afraid they don't even like you, and you have become shy of the situation." Anakin said quietly, stepping towards her. She blinked, a sad expression on her face.
"Your an awesome mind-reader." She whispered, her eyes welling up with tears.
"You think the person doesn't even like you.. but your wrong.. because I think I am falling in love with you." Anakin whispered back. That did it. The tears rolled down her cheeks, falling onto the floor. He put his hand under her chin, and leaned in and kissed her.
A million emotions shot through Aaralyn, but the only one she could grab ahold of was joy, as she wrapped her arms around Anakin's neck. He placed a hand on her back as emotions soared through him, as well. They pulled away from each other, Aaralyn's cheeks red from blushing. Anakin even had some red speckles on his face.
"We better get out there." Anakin said, picking up his lightsaber, and hers. He handed hers to her.
"Should we tell them?" Aaralyn asked.
Anakin hesitated. "No. They don't need to know. This is our business, not theirs." He said. Aaralyn could almost sense his heart slightly hardening. When she first met Anakin, he seemed like he shared everything with his cousin. Now, he didn't want to have anything to do with him. Is it me that is splitting them apart? She worried. They left the room.
"Who won?" Paron asked. Her and Ben had the hint of concern on their faces.
"Anakin." Aaralyn said monotonously.
"Anakin? How did he win?" Ben asked.
"Jealous, cousin?" Anakin asked, smirking. He walked up ahead of the others. Aaralyn caught up with him, and the two hastened away from the others.
"Whats going on?" Paron asked, concerned.
"I don't know." Ben said, shaking his head sadly.
A/n- So, how was it? I sort of rushed some romance a bit, in my opinion. But otherwise, I really enjoy this chapter. A lot of emotions in it. Please review! Thank you!