So sorry I'm so late guys. I've had the worst writers block like ever. Any way this chapter is a little shorter than the usual combined chapters are but here we are.
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of the amazing characters.
Chapter 9: Reylo Rey
It ended up being a couple of days before Rey and Kylo would have ship that could carry them to Vodran as Kylo's shuttle was destroyed during the battle of Ilum and the Knights of Rey would be needing the Starfall for their journey to Mandalore. Leia suggested that Chewie might allow them to use the Falcon but Kylo refused to ask, stating that Chewie needed the Falcon to get supplies for the Resistance but Rey had a feeling that he just didn't want to be confined in a space that reminded him so much of Han and his childhood.
Therefore, they had to wait for Poe and the other mechanics to work on one of the few shuttles the Resistance had to make sure that it would get them all the way across the galaxy in one piece without being singled out by the First Order.
In the meantime, the Knights wanted to have a formal knighting ceremony to celebrate the fact that Rey had technically graduated from Padawan to Jedi Knight.
"The problem is we don't have a Jedi High Council or any other Council and we don't have a Grandmaster to preside over the ceremony and before any of you can even think it, I am not a master of anything or anyone," Kylo said with his arms folded over his chest.
He had a scowl on his handsome face as he looked over the group that were all close to him in age other than Gear but they all looked to him to be the unofficial master when it came to these things since he had the most formal Force training out of everyone there.
"Nor do we have a formal temple to complete the ceremony in," he added.
"Be that as it may, in times of War, Masters; i.e. you could promote their padawan in the field. This is a time of war but it doesn't have to be as simple as a field promotion or as complex as the formal knighting ceremony. We just need something to commemorate Rey and her accomplishments," Essie argued.
Rey just leaned against Kylo with a pleased smile on her face.
"Guys, we just had a whole party celebrating me. Maybe once Kylo and I figure out what we are doing with this movement, this Grey Order that we are creating we can come up with something that is uniquely our own," Rey said interjecting before any of the others could start.
"Yes, but that was for celebrating. This is a formal acknowledgement of your new station," Asera said, agreeing with Eshreal.
Rey looked to Kylo who rolled his eyes at them all.
"Fine. I guess if we are the only true members of the Grey Order then we would also serve, as its Council, or you will once you complete the trials as Rey has but since you insist on doing this. Form a circle around Rey," Kylo said moving to stand in front of her.
"Wait you wanna do it now," Essie asked.
"Why not, Kylo and I will be able to leave at any moment and Force knows we need to," Rey said.
She was anxious to actually do something that might get them closer to stopping Zoroyais and that feeling was doubled as she also experienced Kylo's own need to do something of worth down the line of the bond.
"I still don't like you two going after the Knights of Ren alone," Cade said finally moving to stand to the left of Kylo.
Kylo tensed. Rey just smiled at him.
They're just worried about us, she said.
"The Knights of Ren are my people. Skywalker wouldn't have told us to go their if it was hopeless," Kylo said.
"I could be a trap," Essie said moving to stand to Kylo's right.
Rey smiled. They were arguing their points while also giving in and moving into position.
"It wouldn't be the first time," Zer-o grumbled, going to stand next to Cade.
"I think Kylo and I are more than capable of taking care of ourselves unless Zoroyais is involved," Rey said and this time Kylo flinched. "And I would rather us all not be caught in the same situation as Ilum where the entirety of our movement could have been wiped out," she went on ignoring the look Kylo shot her.
"Besides we won't be alone," Kylo said and it was news to her. Kylo glanced at her as he said, "We will be accompanied by Phasma and Datoo. I trust them both with my life and Rey's."
Cade and Zer-o exchanged a glance that seemed to ask if they were willing to trust that.
"I'd feel better if Poe and Finn were going with you but I guess you guys are smart enough to know who will be the most help if things go sideways," Gear said.
He went to stand on the other side of Essie.
"Yes, I think another pilot besides the two of you would make us all feel better," Taliki said taking her spot next to Zer-o.
Rey looked at Kylo. They were right, it would be better if they were not the only two who could fly them out of a tense situation. Kylo sighed.
"The only other pilots I trust to fly as well as either Rey or I is Essie or Poe," Kylo said. "You," he said pointing to Essie, "have your own mission to go on. Moreover, I would rather not steal my mother's best pilot while all the rest of us are away from the planet. If they need to flee, I would feel better if she had someone, I trusted to make sure she makes it out of here," Kylo said.
Kylo never would have been so worried about Leia before accepting the fact that his light lived inside himself. Rey loved to see these softer aspects of his personality leak through though it was few and far in between that it happened. Just as the thought was finishing Kylo's usual prickly demeanor came back with a vengeance.
"Now if you are all done questioning my decisions; let's do this," he said in a slight irritated tone.
"Just promise us that if anything feels even a little off that you guys will get the hell out of there," Asera said finally taking her place in the circle.
"I promise you Asera, if I feel anything is off, I will be getting us the hell away from Hutt space before you can say I have a bad feeling about this," Rey promised.
That seemed to satisfy Asera and the rest of the group. Once they were in formation Kylo took out his lightsaber and ignited it.
"If you all would ignite your own blades and hold them as so," Kylo said slightly raising his blade above his head. "Normally there is a formal opening of the ceremony but as none of you are visiting masters and insisted on doing this, I don't think you need to be introduced or refocused on why we are doing this," Kylo said.
The group all nodded in agreement.
"Rey would you please kneel and place your lightsaber on the ground before you," Kylo instructed.
She could feel him going over every little detail of his own knighting ceremony. She could feel his pride and the regret that he had for taking that same pride away from all of the other students the night he and the others fled to the First Order. She sent soothing vibes down the line of the bond to try to get him to calm down some.
Kylo brought his new Purple and Amber bladed lightsaber just above both of Rey's shoulders and said, "By the right of those gathered, by the will of the Force, I dub thee Ember, Knight of the Resistance," Kylo said, the title to replace Jedi just came to him in the moment.
Ember, Rey asked down the line of the bond.
We are the dying Embers of the Jedi Order but we are also the Embers that can spark into a roaring flame of something new…The Grey Ember Order, Kylo said.
Rey felt a rush of power brush over her skin as if the Force was pleased with this new title and Order that they were creating.
Way back when she and Kylo had stood in the throne room he'd asked her to let the old ways die and at the time she'd refused. She couldn't see why the old ways should be forgotten and that was the main reason why she'd rejected him in the first place. She'd been so caught up in finding her place in the galaxy that she hadn't even considered that she needed to make her place and that Kylo Ren would be the one to help her do that.
Now here they were starting something new, something for everyone that just might be able bring hope to the galaxy again.
"If you'd been a proper padawan you would have had a tail braid that would be cut off but since you don't. Rise Rey, First Knight of the Grey Ember Order, take up your lightsaber and spread peace throughout the galaxy," Kylo said sounding ever more like a Jedi master than ever.
Rey took her lightsaber into her hand and slowly got to her feet. As she did, Kylo put out his blade and put it back on his hip. The others did the same and then all of a sudden six pairs of arms enclosed Rey.
"Congratulations Rey," Essie said.
"Yeah, we had no idea that you guys had come up with a name for our order," Gear said as they all moved away from her.
"Well I didn't have anything to do with it. It was all Kylo," she said with a smile on her face.
The group looked to Kylo who had a slight blush filling his cheeks.
"Well I do actually like it so good job Ren," Zer-o said.
"This does not get you out of training today so let's get back to work," Rey said with a smile when Kylo didn't respond.
"Alright you guys heard the lady," Cade said with a smile.
…
Kylo RenOnce Kylo and Rey we're done with training for the day, they stayed out in the field sparring and getting battle ready. Leia had let them know that they would be able to leave the next morning if they were ready, which of course they were. They gathered Phasma and Datoo and made their way to the shuttle that Poe and the others had prepared for them.
It wasn't idea but it would get them there in one piece though it would take quiet a bit longer than it would have in his personal shuttle. He would have to remember to make Zoroyais pay for that when they met again.
"So, how did Falbell and Nikhoah become the captains of your knights," Rey asked coming to stand beside the pilots chair.
"Well back when I first got to Skywalker's school, I really didn't know how to make friends or even if I wanted to make friends. Everyone still just saw me as the son of two of history's greatest heroes and the nephew of the greatest Jedi ever. You would have thought that they wouldn't be shocked that I was as powerful as I was back then. Nevertheless, they were shocked, and jealous and afraid of me. I hated it there and no matter what I said or did, my mother refused to let me come home," Kylo said and the unhappy memories that were now flooding his mind.
Rey moved to face him. She gently caressed his cheek before kissing him. He could tell that she was sorry she'd asked and didn't want to upset him further.
"After being there for a couple of months Falbell and Nikhoah who were still just Rafaald Bellwilk and Nikrea Rhoahudk both challenged me to a fight. I'd spent the last few weeks mopping the floor with all of the students at the school so I was confused when they asked. Not that I minded. Even back then I liked to push myself past my limits," he explained staring into her beautiful hazel eyes.
He sighed looking back out into the hazy white of hyperspace. He hadn't thought about any of this in so long but now the details were coming to him like it was all just yesterday. Rey touched his face making him look at her again.
"We don't have to talk about this if you don't want to," she said.
"It's not like it's a bad story in itself, it's just tough for me to think about anything during that time in my life considering where it all led," he said.
At this Rey smiled.
"It led you here, to this moment with me," she said softly.
"You're right," he said, kissing her before going on. "I accepted their challenge and before the end of the day everyone was talking about the #1 Padawan against the two students competing to be #2. Skywalker, of course, wasn't happy that I had agreed to take them on but by the time he actually found out it was too late to stop it. If he tried, he would have had 20 angry padawan to deal with and Luke didn't want that so he let us fight."
Kylo took Rey's hand and brought it to his temple.
He let her see him in the middle of the practice circle holding his green lightsaber. On one side was a girl with café au lait skin, short brown hair with her padawan braid trailing over her shoulder and bright green eyes holding a blue lightsaber. On the other was a boy with pale gold skin, even shorter cut black hair with a padawan braid hanging down his back and bright blue eyes holding a green lightsaber. They were circling him as if he was prey.
This young version of Ben Solo had a colder look to him than the other versions she'd seen before and didn't look worried. Nikrea lunged in first swinging her blade and spinning into the move. Ben dodged it but that put him right in the path of Rafaald, who was charging straight for him. He grabbed ahold of Nikrea with the Force and push her directly in front of him.
Rafaald was skilled enough to throw his lightsaber to his other hand while catching Nikrea with the one that had been holding his weapon. After regrouping, they came at Ben with perfectly timed attacks that put Ben on the defensive for the first time in the entire fight. It went on like that for a while before Ben Solo was able to regain the upper hand.
Once he did, he disarmed both of his opponents and forced them both to yield by holding his blade to Nikrea's throat while holding Rafaald with the Force choke.
That was the first time he'd ever used a dark side technique and it was then that Luke started to worry about his nephew. Ben noticed that Luke started watching him more carefully. Winning that match like that also had another result; Rafaald and Nikrea became fascinated by him and his ability to access dark side techniques.
Kylo allowed Rey to slip out of the memory and back into her own mind.
"That's how I gained the first friends I ever had. We spent all of our time together but it wasn't until after we'd left the school that I learned that Falbell and Nikhoah had spent a fair amount of time beating up anyone who dared to make fun of me behind my back which was totally against Skywalker's rules. And it was probably very time consuming considering the fact that for a while they were my only friends. Their loyalty knew no bounds and when Snoke gave me permission to form my own personal death squad I knew they were the ones to lead it," Kylo said. "They will back me on this Rey," he said.
"Even now that Hux has outed you as a traitor and the son of two major Resistance leaders," she asked.
"They already knew about my parents, they all did. Skywalker never hid the fact that I was his sisters child," Kylo explained. "Once I tell them that Hux usurped the throne of the Supreme Leader they will rally convince the others to join us," he said.
Rey looked up at him and nodded.
He was relieved that she agreed with him without truly thinking about what his words might mean. True, Kylo wanted to be a part of the Grey Ember Order and all that it meant but a part of him still wanted to rule the Galaxy as the Supreme Order. The Resistance was still dying and the Grey Ember Order aligned with the true First Order under Kylo's leadership could do so much more for the galaxy than his mother and her dying cause.
His eyes refocused on the path before them. He would decide what his actual plans were once his knights were reassembled and Zoroyais was defeated. He just hoped that Rey would trust him enough to follow him in whatever he decided.