Hey everyone! This chapter is going to be a little slower, basically a glimpse of how Ezra is dealing with everything and all his emotions. I hope you still enjoy it though, and I promise the next chapter is going to be more Spirits/plot related! :D Enjoy everyone!

And, guys, GUYS! YOU'RE ALL AMAZING! I mean, over 300 reviews?! *Tremors shake your house and chair* Don't mind that. That's just my MIND BLOWING OVER THE AMAZING SUPPORT FROM YOU AWESOME PEOPLE! Seriously! I can't thank you enough. You've all been so patient with me, and you're all being really supportive. I hope I can continue with these chapters as some kind of payment for your kind words and heart-lifting reviews. It really means the world to me! :D So, I hope you enjoy this next chapter! :D

Q/A's and Reactions:

Guest- Of course! I'd never let you loyal readers down! :D

Kayla103849- XD Thankfully this one didn't take as long to update! :D

Guest- *Rubs hands together with a smirk* Oh their time is coming. ;)

KupcakeKrazed101- Dude, I'm sorry to hear that. If it makes you feel any better, I think you're really cool. :D

Azulablue92- XD Tell me you at least had a snow ball fight within shovelling all that snow! And thank you so much for your review! You're words brightened my day! :D

Guest- I think in this story, Ezra only leans on one person. Max. But slowly he's realising that he can't do this by himself, and I get the feeling Zeb will be his new lifeline. ;D

EmilyBridger- Yeah, the concept is pretty sweet, so I hope you can make something totally awesome dude! Have a great day! :D

Paint the Fangirling Uniwolf- Thoust must wait and see if thy Ezra forgives-eth thy Kanan. Ezra- "Why are you talking like that?" Because thoust are proper gentle lady!... eth. XD

Septimus714- Bad ass Ezra moment coming up, and more elaboration on the Spirits coming next chapter. ;D Enjoy!

Akamaiwing- Yeah! Things are starting to get INTENSE! :D

Schyrsivochter- You'll have to wait and see my friend. ;)

Ezraismybae- After a bombshell like that, it's probably going to take Ezra a few days to adjust again. And then he has to think about the Spirits, and not getting caught, and… well, a whole bunch of stuff someone his age really shouldn't have to deal with. XD Poor Ezzy could use some support right now.

DevilSPR- Oh yes. I can perfectly picture how awkward things would be at dinner: Kanan- "How was schoo-" Ezra- "Fine." Kanan- "… how's the food-" Ezra- "Fine." Kanan- "…" *Clears throat awkwardly and goes back to eating*… Or at least that's how I can imagine it going. ;D

Alex Jarrus- Hm… tricky. I really suck at determining ages, but I'll shoot for… 15? 16? :o

Spectre 13- Yes! I've been trying really hard to get updates out quickly, so that you guys all can enjoy the story! :D

Weirdness47- I know right? How good was that trailer! I'm seriously so pumped for new episodes I'm going to die! XD

Jedi Jelsa777- The force… *snaps fingers* I knew it! That's how you keep reading my mind! You really are a jedi! ;D

Midnight Luna- I'm right behind you! *Grabs electric whip* Let's get down to business, shall we? XD And may the Lord be with you too Luna. :D

Fantasie Adventura Dreamwriter- Aw, thank you so much! I'm really glad this story has caught people's attention, and I hope I can keep providing you all with more exciting chapters! :D And yes! Omg. It was so fun on the opening night, because everyone in the theatre understood the jokes, and the pain, and struggle… ugh! It was so good! :D

Skypeoplephoenix732- Yeah, I got a lot of inspiration from 'I just want you to know who I am', but I still wanted to make my story stand out in its own way. :D And wow, I didn't even realise that. I guess since I usually say it without thinking it kind of slipped into my writing… I'll try to think about that more when I write future chapters. :D Thank you for pointing that out.

Miko Jasmine- :D That's a good thing! Then you're always in the unknown, and you get surprised and shocked! It makes for a good adventure. ;D

Coral Iturbe- Estoy tan contento de escuchar que haya disfrutado de los últimos capítulos !

Pat ksmiku chan- I guess you'll just have to find out. :D And, I'm really sorry, but I actually have an idea already for what's going to happen in future chapters. But I think you'll be happy with it when the time comes. ;D Enjoy!

Iron Rose Writer- Only time will tell! ;D

The Cat Charmer- Well, I've never really thought of that I guess. Maybe, Snape could be an older version of Kylo, but their voices are really different, so probably not. But that's also just my opinion.

Guest- Yes! This one shouldn't be as long of a wait as the last one. :D

TomXD- ;D Wait until it actually happens. It's going to be EPIC! :D

Lone Wolf8- I'm so glad to hear people love this story as much as I do! And if I told you… well… that would ruin the fun now, wouldn't it. ;)

Lone Laken- As I said last chapter, these updates take time. Besides, I think you'd all be sick of it if I updated constantly. ;D

Blaze- Omg, dude. I love that idea! I'm going to incorporate it in right now! :D

Ezra's POV

…

"We aren't getting enough food to support everyone Ezra…"

…

"We're barely scraping in enough to pay the rent, let alone get more supplies…"

"…Ezra…"

"I'm sorry. I'm not sure if there's any other way now…"

"Ezra."

"Vizago's got a job for us Ezra. I know you hate stealing, but desperate times call for desperate measures-"

"Ezra Bridger!" a voice barked as someone slammed their hand on my desk.

I jumped, banging my knees against my bench as the adrenaline flooded my system. My eyes were wide with shock as the teacher snapped "Pay attention child! You're here to learn, not daydream!"

I was suddenly very aware of my surroundings. The enclosed classroom, fellow students watching the scene silently, and the teacher's deathly glare as she loomed over me intimidatingly. But even though a situation like this would usually cause me to be uncomfortable, all I felt was a deep seeded anger blooming from within. "Oh yeah? Well maybe if you spent more time doing some real teaching I might actually learn a thing or two," I snarked.

Her brows furrowed. "Do not speak to me like that young man!" she barked. "I am your teacher and you will listen to what I have to say!"

I rocked back in my chair, arching an unamused eyebrow. "I would, but all I can hear is your endless rambling."

"I will not have such disrespect in my classroom!" she yelled.

"Ya know, Miss," I snarled, planting my hands firmly on my desk as I rose to my feet slowly. "Some may find eating out of the garbage, or drinking sewage water 'disrespectful' too. Some argue that police injustice, and Imperial oppression are far more important than a war that happened 200-I-don't-care years ago, with a guy I really couldn't give a second thought about. So, maybe, it'd be a good idea to get off your lazy butt and teach us something valuable for once!"

"That's it! Principal's office! Now!" the woman ordered, pointing to the door.

Growling, I shoved my chair away forcefully and stormed to the exit, not really caring what anyone else thought about me in that moment. I was just so… mad. I felt like punching something or someone, but even then I knew it wouldn't be enough to fully relieve me of my frustrations. And worse, Sabine wasn't even here to help me control it, or even to just comfort me. Second day into the school week and things were already going to hell.

Once I was sure I was far away enough from the classroom and the hall was completely empty, I leant against the nearby wall and sighed. Slumping down onto the tiled floor, I hugged my legs close to my chest and rested my face against my knees.

"Don't show weakness Ezra," I thought to myself as the tears began to form. "Now isn't a time to crumble. The Spirits need you more now than ever, and you need to stay strong. You can't let the stress, or the whole ordeal with Kanan set you off course. Get your head in the game Phantom!"

I inhaled a sharp breath of air, pushing all my thoughts away and forcing myself back onto my feet. Inside, I wanted nothing more than to talk to Max. He was the one person I could spew all my emotions onto, and he'd always be there at the other end with me. And if not Max, even Zeb at the least! He'd have some clue what I was talking about, and he'd understand to a certain degree.

But, neither were accessible right now. Max was off at Safe Haven, probably rallying some Spectres for the next heist, while Zeb was at work. My only two supports were far out of reach, and that only made my anger flare up that much further.

But taking it on the chin, I held my head tall and headed off to the principal's office…

The Principal, often referred to by students as 'X10' for reasons I still didn't know, sighed as she leant forward across his desk. His sky blue eyes stared at me intently, his bulky form towered only by his sleek, swivelling chair. "Ezra, this is the third time you've been sent here in the last two days," he stated drearily. "I am very disappointed."

I huffed, crossing my arms and glancing away. "Do you have any explanation for your rash and aggravated behaviour lately," he pried.

"Stuff," I snapped. "Which is none of your business."

He sighed, his expression softening. "Has something happened between you and someone close?" he continued. "Maybe an argument or a disagreement within your family?"

I turned to face him forwardly, only to glare at him with sharp, cold eyes. "Foster family," I clarified with a harsh tone. "And in fact, yes, something has occurred between me and them, but I'd rather not discuss it!" Twisting on my seat, I decided to just stare out the window instead, resting my chin a top my palm casually.

All was silent for a long moment, until the male asked "Would you like to talk about it?"

"No," I muttered.

"Well, I'm sorry Ezra, but this attitude cannot continue. I'm afraid I'll have to suspend you for the rest of the day," he stated. "And I'll be calling for your guardian to pick you up. Also, I'd like to have a chat with the both of you, while you're here."

My eyes widened, and I suddenly pleaded "No, no! Anything but that! Please! Look, I promise I'll snap out of it, okay?"

Concern seeped into 10's expression. "Ezra, you're not being… abused, at your foster family, are you?" he asked suspiciously.

"What? No! It's not like that!" I tried to explain. Groaning in defeat, I slumped back against my chair and bowed my head. "Look, I had an argument with my guardian, and I just don't want to talk to him at the moment. Okay?"

I glanced up gloomily, but was surprised to see the adult staring back at me with a sympathetic expression. "Is that all?" he asked softly.

I hesitated, before nodding sharply. Sighing, he relaxed back into his seat casually and closed his eyes. He stroked his white beard slowly as the two of us descended into silence. I shifted nervously in my seat for a moment, until he suddenly waved me off and murmured "Go then."

My eyes widened. "R-Really?" I asked in shock.

He nodded, eyes opening and a stern blue gaze burning into my soul. "Yes, but I don't want to see you in here again, or I will call in your guardian. Understood?" he commanded.

I nodded rapidly, standing up and saying "Thank you, Mr…?"

"Azadi," he stated. "My name's Ryder Azadi, but you can just call me Sir."

I smiled lightly, heading for the door when Sir suddenly called "And Ezra."

I glanced over my shoulder curiously to see him slouched back in his chair with a smirk. "Try not to get on Miss Aviery's nerves," he advised, though I could sense a hint of amusement underlying his tone. "You know she's sensitive."

Despite myself, I cracked a small smirk. "Got it Sir. I'll keep that in mind."

He nodded, before glancing down and resuming whatever he'd started before I had entered. And with that I swiftly left the room, sprinting down the halls to get to my next class. I knew my teacher wouldn't be happy about me being late. This one in particular.

Finally, I made it to the two double doors and pushed them open. They swung wide out, revealing the interior of the large gym and the congregation of students to the side. The area was quite large and had shiny wooden floorboards, pristine benches, a basketball court and state of the art equipment.

I hurriedly made my way over to the group with my head bowed, completely aware of the many eyes staring at me. "Nice for you to finally join us Kid," the coach remarked sarcastically.

"S-Sorry, Captain Rex," I mumbled, taking my seat in my own isolation just out of reach from the others, but still within earshot of the coach. After all, he had a pretty clear and strong voice.

"Okay you sorry excuses for athletes," he called. "Today for a warmup, we're playing dodge ball."

A series of exasperated groans erupted from the group, until Rex added "Unless you'd prefer to clean the bathrooms instead?"

Everyone immediately shut up, only causing the coach to smirk in mild amusement. Snapping back onto the subject, Rex continued "Now the game is simple. Two teams will be on each side of the court. You are not allowed to go out of your team's boundaries or go over to the other side of the court. Now the goal is to eliminate everyone on the opposing team. The way you do that, is by hitting them with the balls provided. If you get hit, you're out. If you fumble, you're out. If you catch the ball, the thrower is out. Everybody understand?"

Everyone nodded, and Rex blew sharply into his whistle. The students quickly sorted into two teams, the stronger, more robust people flocking to one side, while the others remained on the left. Rex frowned when he saw me absently standing near the benches. "Bridger," he called. "On the left."

I pursed my lips and walked up to him, stating "But the teams are unfair, Coach."

"Life is unfair, but you of all people should know that," he replied, his tone surprisingly stern yet gentle. My eyes narrowed at the comment, but he patted my shoulder and whispered with a grin "And that's why you're on the left team. Cause you're gonna show them how to make the tables turn."

I blinked once, unsure how I was supposed to feel. Part of me was surprised, another part frustrated, and even slightly amused. So slowly, I went and joined the left team and took my place beside a brown haired, tan skinned male. The teen turned and shot me a warm smile. "I'm Jai," he whispered. "You?"

I hesitated. "…Ezra, and that's all you need to know," I replied coldly, turning back to face Rex as he began calling out further guidelines.

Jai shrugged, before quipping "As long as you can stay in, I'm not arguing."

I glanced over my shoulder and arched a brow. "I'll probably stay in longer than you."

A mischievous grin laced his lips, a spark of excitement and exhilaration surging into his hazel eyes. "First person to get eliminated pays for the other's drink at lunch then," he offered, holding his hand out.

I stared at him for a long moment, Rex's voice getting completely drowned out. Of course, I was never one to back out of a bet, and surely one I'd win, but my emotions were making my judgement hazy. But finally, I rolled my eyes and shook his hand roughly. "Deal," I smirked.

He smiled and turned back at attention to Rex. I focused my mind back to the task at hand when Coach blew the whistle and each team ran to the opposite walls. Everyone waited anxiously, eyes narrowed on the five red bouncy balls placed along the line in the middle of the court. The tension was thick, and my muscles tightened around my bones intently.

Then, the whistle echoed through the gym and everyone pounced into action. Me, being both nimble and experienced took the lead for my team, which seemed much more fun when I wasn't being chased by police or having to scramble through cruddy alleys. Across the court a lean, darker skinned boy was racing for the same ball that I was heading for, but he was too slow. I quickly grabbed the ball and sprung backwards, rearing my arm back and pegging it at someone on the other team. The unsuspecting student took it right to the stomach, grunting and curling in on himself. And for some reason, I felt incredibly relieved and even excited, a satisfied smile crawling onto my lips.

That felt better than it should have.

Snapping out of my trance, I stumbled to the side just as a ball sped past my vision in a red blur. That one was a little too close for comfort, and I bolted after the ball as it bounced against the back wall. Glancing back at the court, I realised that four from my team had already been eliminated, and only two from the enemy's. Six against eight now.

I growled, running forward and throwing the ball at someone else when the dark haired boy from before tried to get me from the side. I tried to catch the ball on the foul, but it bounced just before I managed to catch it. Glancing around, I realised our numbers were dropping rapidly. A girl fumbled to my left. A boy got slammed in the leg to my right. Soon there were only 4, no wait, 3 of us after the kid with braces got hit. My heart beat increased and blood pumped in my ears deafeningly as I realise the Jai kid, another girl and me were the only ones left on our team. The others, on the other hand, had 5 players still standing strong. And even among them was none other than Oleg.

The boy held a cocky smirk, his wavy blond hair held in place by some kind of gel. "Pfft. This will be easy," he laughed. "Two runts and a street rat? Not even worth the effort."

My blood boiled to the point it felt like lava in my veins, and a sheet of red glazed over my vision. I bared my teeth, and every single measure of pain, torment, and emotion from my past flooded over me. All I could think about was my constant rejections. Tseebo, who was supposedly a family friend didn't want me. Kanan passed me on like a game of Chinese whispers. Every foster family I've been to despised me, spat on me, treated me as if I was nothing.

And then I snapped.

Using my emotions to fuel myself, I snatched two nearby balls and threw them with all my might at Oleg's face. He realised to late, one hitting him square in the face and the other getting him right downstairs. I stood still, my breathing heavy and hands clenched as he crumpled onto the ground with a pathetic whimper, protecting his jewels weakly from his position on the ground. My moment of victory was rattled by a sharp whistle. "Bridger!" Rex yelled. "I said elbows and lower!"

"Well technically Coach," Jai spoke up with a smirk. "The second one was lower."

Rex scoffed with what I assumed was amusement, before raising the whistle back to his lips and calling "Resume."

"But coach!" Oleg tried to protest as he pushed himself back onto his feet. But Rex cut him off, retorting "Oh stop whining Oleg. Get back to the game."

Oleg pouted, before turning his attention to me with a growl. And for some reason, I had never felt so relieved. In that throw, I had finally managed to release the internal pain from the past few days out into the physical world. My shoulders slumped, and I released a long, tense sigh. Who knew hitting Oleg would make me feel so relaxed. The future of the Spirits, my encroaching past, the cold emptiness in the Ghost all seemed to be forgotten from my mind.

Jai strode to beside me, a small smile lacing his lips. "Nice throw," he compliment as he nudged my shoulder gently. "But I'm taking that prize."

And for once in what felt like forever, I shot a genuine, happy grin. "You're on," I chuckled lightly when another whistle pierced the air.

Jai was immediately back into action, and so was I. But this time, I didn't have any emotional baggage weighing me down. The three left on our side played our cards just right, collecting the balls until we held them all. When the others finally realised our plan, the three of us had already taken position. And with swift throws, we pummelled them rapidly. One got hit on the shin, another hit in the side when he tried to run away.

I threw a ball straight at the third one, when he suddenly fumbled to catch it. I watched with wide eyes as it jumped in the air, his meaty hands unable to get a proper grip. And just when I thought I was done for, he was suddenly hit in the back by another ball. I glanced over to my left to see Jai grinning at me with glee. "You owe me one," he called, before getting into a defensive stance again.

And just as I was marvelling in the idea that we might actually win, Oleg pegged a ball at the girl without hesitation. A direct hit. Now, it was two against two. Jai glanced over at me, concern shifting over his expression. But I just did the one thing I always did to give confidence to the Spirits. A single, sharp nod.

And it seemed to work.

Jai and I turned back to the game, and the silence was broken as the dark skinned teen tried to hit me. I danced through their attacks with ease, returned the waves, and then dodged them all over again. This process seemed to go on for a minute or two, until Jai was suddenly hit in the chest. He stumbled backwards, and before he even had a chance to recover, another ball hit him in the face. The world seemed to slow as he fell onto the floor with a slam, and in the corner of my eye I saw the one thing that always made me flood with concern.

Blood.

It was beginning to ooze from his nose, trailing over his tan skin. Coach must have realise when I did, because he blew the whistle fiercely and ran over. But I was by Jai's side first, and instinct took over as I pinched the bridge of his nose and tilted his head back. "It's not that bad," I murmured blankly. "Just dust it off and get back up."

I can't remember how many times I had mumbled those words to one of my Spectres after a fight.

It's just a scratch. Just dust it off and get back up.

Only a graze. Just dust it off and get back up.

Only a bruise. Just dust it off and get back up.

Though every one of my Spirits knew it actually meant 'We'll patch you up and you'll be back on your feet in no time,' it was like a little inside joke now. After all, I was the one they looked up to for guidance, so if I was calm, they were calm.

It came so naturally now I didn't even consider that I wasn't with a Spectre. It was just Jai. Some kid I'd literally only talked to five minutes ago. But I didn't care. I didn't even notice.

Jai opened his eyes with a groan, rubbing his head as Coach made it to our side. The male sighed deeply, and he scratched his bald head sympathetically. "Jessie, go get an icepack please," he called to one of the girls on the side.

She nodded and quickly scurried off, before returning with a small icepack and cloth. Rex lifted Jai up onto his feet and pressed the ice to his nose, guiding him off to the bench with surprising softness. But when he turned back, his expression was a picture of pure frustration. "How many times do I have to tell you all?! Elbows. And. Lower!" he snapped. "Oleg, principal's office. Now."

"W-What?! What did I do?!" the teen argued.

Rex snarled. "You intentionally hit Jai in the face, even after I specifically told you not to. And don't even get me started on those comments from earlier. Don't think I'll be forgetting that any time soon."

"But-"

"No buts this time Oleg," Rex cut him off. "Go to the principal's office. Now."

Oleg bit his tongue but stormed off across the gym, anger fuming off him in waves. He was muttering under his breath, a few curse words slipping in here and there, but I paid it no mind. After he was gone, Rex sighed and said "Maybe that's enough dodgeball for today. We'll call it a tie for now."

Everyone nodded, and only a few of Oleg's friends crossed their arms disappointedly. I glanced over at the dark skinned boy as he walked with his head down, his face hidden. I frowned and strode over to him, touching his shoulder and offering my hand in a friendly gesture. "You played well to last for so long," I smirked. "Especially up against me."

His lips were pulled into a stern line, and he stared at my hand hesitantly. But after a long moment, he shook it. "Thanks. You played pretty well yourself," he commented.

I grinned, giving him a small nod before shooting my attention over to Jai. He was still sitting at the side, the icepack pressed against his nose as he talked to Coach in a slight daze. "I hope your friend is okay," the teen added sympathetically.

I turned back to face him, about to correct him on Jai being my friend, before freezing. Jai didn't seem that bad, and this kid didn't seem so either. Sabine's words began to echo through my mind.

"You should try making some friends Ezra. You surely can't stay around me forever," she had said during a lunch break.

"Well why not?" I quizzed.

She rolled her eyes, nudging my shoulder and explaining "As much as I understand your pessimistic view on human kind, there are still some people that are nice. I'm sure there is at least one person you could befriend in your class."

"Well what's the benefit of that?"

Sabine thought for a moment, before replying "Friends will keep you company, and make you laugh. The true ones will have your back when you need them, and they'll listen to what you have to say. They'll always be there to help you and have a good time."

I sighed deeply and let the tension in my muscles slack. "Yeah, he'll be fine," I replied. Scoffing, I added "Besides, he owes me a drink at lunch now."

The teen smirked, before turning to walk away. I grasped his shoulder without a second thought, and he shot me a curious glance. "You could join us if you want," I offered.

He flinched ever so slightly, before smiling and saying "Sure. Why not."

I glowed, stating "I'm Ezra, by the way."

He nodded. "I'm Zare," he replied. "Zare Leonis."

Weeeeelllll! There you go! I know this chapter wasn't as intense as the last few, but I thought it was important to see how Ezra was dealing with the situation. Sometimes it's nice just to slow things down a little, like the 'Brothers of the Broken Horn' episode in season two, just to get some character development. :D I promise next chapter is going to be more action-packed! :D

But hopefully you enjoyed! I thought it would be cool if Ezra found some casual friends to occasionally hang out with in his hectic mess of a life, and Jai and Zare were perfect for the job! I even added Ryder Azadi and Rex! :D So tell me what you guys think, I love to read your reviews.

Speaking of reviews, guys! We're over 300 reviews! :O I know I already said this at the top, but I'm just so happy and excited right now! I just want you guys to know how much I appreciate all of you. So thank you. From the bottom of my heart. Thank you for every view, review, favourite and follow. Guests and users. I care about every single one of you, and I hope you all have a great, amazingly fantastic, awesome, happy day! :D May the force be with you, always!

-Superherotiger