AHHHHHH! GUUUUUUUYYZZZ! I'm so excited! Wanna know why?
I'M BRINGING BACK Q/A'S AND REACTIONS!
*Silence*
W… What? You guys don't remember that?
Inner Fangirl: "It's been over a year since you did them regularly."
And it's been over a year since you popped up in my Author's notes ha!
Inner Fangirl: *Claps slowly*
Gee, you're so sensitive. Well, for all of you who need a refresher or are new around here, I used to do a segment at the top of my chapters where I'd reply to every comment, anonymous or not. It's just to have some conversations going on, because, you know I've felt really detached from you guys lately.
Inner Fangirl: "You haven't updated in like half a yea-"
And, I really want to get back into the community. So here we go! Also, I thought of giving this segment a better name than 'Q/A's and Reactions', and I'm taking suggestions. Tell me some snazzy title names, go ahead, be creative! Can't wait to hear what you guys have in store!
Okay, let's jump in!
Q/A's:
What's the difference between Spirits and Spectres?
It wasn't asked by anyone, but I thought I might clarify just in case anyone was confused.
So, when Ezra or Max invite someone to the Spirits, they become a 'Spirit'. It's the lowest rank, but they get food, shelter, and security. From there they can try out to become a 'Spectre', the ones out on the streets with the cloaks and hooded faces. They do all the dirty work, and for that, they get a higher ration of food. From there they can get accepted into clans and-
Omg I think about this too damn much. Anyways hopefully that helped… somehow?
Was Kara the girl from the bakery?
No, Kara has been a busker in training for a while now, trying to get into the Spirit Buskers group. The small girl and boy Ezra helped were too young to be Spectres, as Ezra only let's those he believes are mature enough to go onto the field, which are mostly the teenagers, ironically. But yeah, Ezra's strict when it comes to that. He tries to keep the young kids out of danger as much as possible, and doesn't let them try out to become spectres unless they're at least over 13 years old.
Isn't Zeb a foster child like Sabine as well?
Actually, Zeb is adopted under Kanan's name. He still goes by Orrelios, but his legal last name is Jarrus. It's mentioned in Chapter 7: Finding Home, but… my writing was kind of cringy back then so be warned ha!
But that's why Zeb wasn't taken away at the end of his two-year fostering program, because Kanan and Hera decided to adopt him before his term ended. Unfortunately for Sabine, things seem to be going differently for her…
Where've you been Tiger?
Ah, I don't really want to get into details, but my family is going through a lot of stress, and my parents are in the middle of a draining breakup. So… yeah. Fun stuff like that. I've also been really busy with work and stuff, but, I honestly don't think I would have been able to make it through each day without some of the great friends in my life.
One of them being my long-time friend Azulablue92! Seriously, I've known Azula since my first year on this site, and I still keep in contact with them to this very day! So, I'd love it if you could go send some love to Azula because they're amazing and they deserve it! Azula let me beta-read their one-shot 'Our Second Chance', and Azula actually read over this chapter to make sure it was the best it could be! So go right after this chapter and read 'Our Second Chance' and tell Azula how awesome they are! Even one review can make a writer's day, so go spread the love!
Alright! Time for the Reactions!
Some-Helping-Hands-Of-Fire- Oh my gosh, Chip, Lapel, Yasmin, Penni and Ana, I love you all and your amazing comments! You're all so beautiful, and I love the singing, and in-depth analyses, and amazing reactions! Don't ever change, because it means so much to me when people like you really appreciate how much I put into these stories. I hope I can continue making these stories that you can all enjoy, and I hope I can always see your lovely reviews! Thank you!
Guest- *Smirk* You'd like that, wouldn't you? ;)
Sparklydog9- I know! The pain!
Midnight Luna- Luna you're a treasure! You know I love to hit you with the feelz! ;D And yes! I've seen Jedi Music Beats videos, and I love all of them! Sorry I can't give you a Super Bomb today, but I hope this'll tide you over till then! :D
Guest- I'm so glad to hear that! I tried my best to make it intense!
Guest101- Yay! I'm glad you liked it! Uh, about your suggestion, nowadays with this story I focus on strong plot points instead of small ideas like that. But, if you're looking for some concerned Hera and Kanan fawning over Ezra, I promise you'll see it at some point in the future! :D
Ezraismybae- Ah! It's so great to hear from you again! I feel like we haven't talked in ages! And yes! I loved your idea so much I just had to put it in! Hope you enjoy this chapter!
Lone Laken- *Bursts out laughing* Now I can just imagine you breaking down the door to the Ghost and going "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" XD
AU Writer Girl- Well, you're going to have to find out ;D
Guest- AHH! I'm so glad!
Narutofanficlov321- Thank you! That's so kind!
Guest- That's actually a pretty awesome suggestion! But you'll have to see how it unfolds I guess. ;)
IWantColouredRain- Your wish has come true! (Love your username btw!)
Gen Heart- Gen, AH! I saw your review for the one before, and you have no idea how happy it made me! I took all your suggestions into consideration, and I definitely loved your idea of Ezra feeling guilty about the luxuries of the Ghost home, which kind of shows in last chapter's scene where he refused to take the ice pack because he felt ashamed for using it. I just want you to know that you're awesome and I can't wait to hear more from you! Enjoy the chapter!
StarLoverRebel- No time to hesitate Ezra, just grab her and go! Ezra- *Eating cereal* "What the heck are you talking abou-" NO HESITATION! *Grabs wrist to drag him out the door* Ezra- "WHAT THE-!?"
Guest- Sorry for taking so long!
Guest- AH! I'm so glad my writing is able to do that! I'm so sorry it's taken so long to update, I've just been super busy. I did explain why up above, but I'm really thankful that everyone's been so patient with me. :) It means a lot.
DaugherOfLoki1- Only one way to find out!
Guest- *Gasp* You're too kind! And seriously? It influences your dreams? No way! :O
Brittannika- Oh my gosh that's so nice of you! Well hopefully the rest of the story can live up to its reputation then!
Guest- Wait no longer my friend!
Chelsea- Yay! Glad to hear!
Guest- Done and dusted.
Guest- Ooo! I day dream about this story all the time too! XD
Coral Iturbe- Theories? Oh I love theories! Throw some at me, I'd love to hear your ideas! (Even though I know how this entire story will go ;D)
AHH! Guys that was heaps of fun! For people unfamiliar with this it might seem a little confronting seeing a massive line of my drabble, but hey, that's all good! If you're just here for the story and you can always jump straight down, but if you want to talk I'm always open! Okay guys, get on to the story! I think you'll like it!
Have a great day and may the force be with you, always!
-Superherotiger
…
Zeb's POV
...
I waited patiently outside the school gates, my motorbike still ignited.
Ezra had been nagging me all week for this one specific visit to Safe Haven, stressing the immense importance for him being there. Of course, in classic Phantom style, he hadn't told me what was so important to attend to. He just said he was needed for a ceremony, and that was enough in his books.
I was sceptical of course.
Even though Ezra's grounding had been lifted, with Hera, Sabine, Kanan and now the mutt they called Chopper in the house, finding chances to smuggle the kid out was becoming more and more difficult. For me it was easy. I just left whenever everyone was at school or work, but Ezra never had that luxury. I also noticed how nervous he was acting lately. He was growing overly protective of his backpack, not letting anyone close to it and only informing me there was something important for the Spirits inside. But I honestly had no idea what could have been so special.
Whatever it was Ezra had finally snapped last night, pleading for me to take him after school to Safe Haven, not only to attend his ceremony, but also to deliver his secret goods.
Of course I agreed. Despite how unnerved I was with all this illegal, robin-hood gang stuff, I did quite enjoy the company of the Spirits. I often found myself travelling down to Safe Haven myself over the past few days to help out where I could, get to know them a little. And boy did they have personality!
Max was always friendly and had plenty of jobs to keep me busy, while Tales and Byte liked testing me in physical and mental games with other Spectres. Hawk on the other hand was a little bit quirky, with his twitching and animal-like behaviour. But despite his scrawny frame he was quite nimble, and he'd even taken me out for a run on the roof tops once. An experience that was both exhilarating and completely terrifying at the same time!
Anyway, I could tell that whatever this ceremony was it meant a lot to Ezra, so I was willing to help in any way possible.
I watched as students began flooding out the front doors, parents in their cars waiting impatiently behind the wheel as traffic already started to congest. It pulled a chuckle out of myself as I could easy slip by in my motorbike, but these poor souls would be here for ages just trying to get out. It almost made me feel sorry for them… almost.
My eyes scanned the sea of faces, until after a few minutes, they settled on the two teenagers emerging from the entrance. I realised that Ezra looked at his friend with concern as he spoke to her, his words inaudible. Sabine on the other hand had a distant gaze, as if her conscience was no longer present in her body. It was a strange sight, considering Sabine was always the one to be excited and full of energy. In fact, she'd been acting off ever since the day she came back from camp. She was very quiet, she didn't smile as often, and she wasn't painting anymore either. I could tell. The Ghost was missing the pungent odour of the spray paint.
As the two approached I was able to hear part of their conversation.
"…if you tell me what's wrong maybe I can help," the boy offered softly.
"Nothing is wrong Ezra," she replied.
"If there was would you tell me?" he pried sharply.
She raised her shoulders in a half-hearted shrug, adverting her hazel gaze as far away as possible. The two stopped in front of me, and realising he wouldn't get any further, Ezra sighed deeply. "Sabine, you were there for me, now I want to be here for you," he spoke, his tone warm and inviting. "If you need me, you know where to find me."
There was a pause, before the girl nodded once, shifted the backpack weighing on her shoulders and began to walk away. "I have art class," she mumbled as she left.
Ezra shook his head with a sigh.
"What's with her?" I asked as I threw him the spare helmet.
"Not sure, she won't tell me," he said, jumping on behind me. "But I have my suspicions…"
"Well, I guess they'll have ta wait," I stated, slipping on my helmet and revving the engine. There was no need for anymore talk, we both knew where the destination was. It was a quick drive, and for me, a familiar one too. I always parked my beast on the light side of town, just in case anyone got any ideas, and proceeded to walk to Safe Haven from there.
But today Ezra was practically sprinting the whole way as I fumbled to keep up with the sleek figure.
"Kid hold up!" I hissed as he twisted through the dull alleyways.
"We're late," he replied in haste while leaping over barb fences and scattered litter.
I wasn't a Spectre so I hadn't quite got the lay of the land yet, and I already found myself lost in the maze of buildings. Usually I would have taken my time and used small landmarks to lead me, but Ezra was going so fast I was afraid I might lose him too!
Finally, after taking one last turn we arrived at a familiar dumpster and fence line, which, of course, Ezra had already climbed under. I followed at a stroll to catch my breath, and once pushing myself through the tight hole, I was welcomed to the Safe Haven once more.
Spirits and Spectres walked around the courtyard, most of the children playing games of tag or hide and seek. Scouts could be seen above on the ledges of the neighbouring towers, while the Spirit Buskers played a tune for their peers. Ezra stood in the middle of the courtyard with an audience already amassing around him, the kids embracing him playfully as he greeted his friends again. He'd managed to already throw on his cloak, the hood pulled back as he talked to the Spirits.
It was a larger crowd than usual but I put it down to whatever this special 'ceremony' was.
I was about to approach, when I suddenly received a sharp punch from the side, immediately causing me to jump back with a yelp. Bellowing laughter followed in suit as I glanced up at the scruffy Wolf Pack boy.
"Gotcha!" he snickered.
I rolled my eyes, teasing "Don't forget, I still beat'cha at arm wrestling yesterday."
"Oh, you lookin' for a rematch?" he grinned, revealing rows of jagged teeth.
I smirked. "I would, but I wouldn't want'chu to lose again."
He scoffed and punched my shoulder fiercely as we both burst out into laughter. "Well, we'll have ta wait till after the ceremony for our rematch then," the Spectre said nonchalantly.
"Oh, hey! Mind filling me in what this ceremony is?" I asked.
"Phantom didn't tell you?" he quizzed. "We call it tha' Stitching Ceremony. It's where field Spectres who've been trying to get into a faction earn their mark, like the one I got." He pointed to the paw print stitched onto his cloak.
"Ooh, that makes sense," I nodded while glancing back over at Ezra. "Well, I gotta go. Later."
"Don't forget our rematch mate!" the boy laughed as I started heading over towards the ring of people. Ezra was talking to everyone that came to him with a smile on his face, asking how they were doing and what was new. Every Spirit, whether they be children, adults or teenagers loved speaking to him. He had a way of making them feel special and unique with each person he talked to. He knew all of them by name, knew every story, every face. It still amazed me how he remembered them all, but I guess when you've invested your entire life to protecting them why wouldn't you?
Ezra saw me as I stepped closer and grinned, throwing his backpack to me and calling "They're looking for food! Watch your feet!"
I gave him a puzzled look as I caught the bag, before suddenly realising what he meant. The young kids that had just been at Ezra's feet suddenly rushed to mine, jumping for the pack while giggling uncontrollably. I could easily keep it out of reach, but it was amusing watching them try to leap for it. The crowd laughed at the sight, before Ezra stepped forward and rubbed one of their heads, which seemed to settle the playful child ever so slightly. He shot me a wide grin and said softly "Mind taking the bag to the control room? The Founding Spectres should all be in there, I just want to say hello to a few more Spirits."
I nodded my head, replying warmly "All good kid."
"Thank you Zeb," he spoke gratefully, before turning around and continuing to converse with the other Spirits.
I began my trek to the building, the kids slowly peeling off until they'd all run back to Ezra again. With care, I entered the structure, waving at the group playing black jack and smiling at the kids who ran around gleefully. Sunlight poured into the large room, enlightening its hidden features like the hammocks suspended above, the staircase to the left and the cluster of hallways to the right. And even though Safe Haven was far from perfect, I had to give credit to Ezra for the amount of thought he'd put into it. They did well to work with what they had.
My path was straight ahead, into what would have been a kitchen many years ago. In fact it's exactly where Max had led me to the first day I was brought to Safe Haven. I smirked slightly from the memory, about to knock on the door before hesitating.
I could hear voices, arguing in the room beyond.
Part of me knew I probably should stick out of it, but my curiosity was too powerful as I leant against the door frame and listened closely.
"Where is he?" someone growled, who I quickly identified as Byte, the Wolf Pack leader.
"He'll be here," Max's voice replied calmly.
"Oh yeah?" Byte snapped back. "He hasn't been here for the past week! It's almost winter, and our leader is nowhere to be seen!"
"Sorry Max, but I have to go with Byte on this one," a feminine voice jumped in, obviously coming from Tales. "We can't keep going on like this. You know the food from our last heist will be gone by the end of the month."
"And police are cracking down on us harder than ever before," another, skittish voice spoke.
There was a deep, strained sigh, before the room went quiet. The silence didn't last long though, as Byte could be heard pacing back and forth restlessly, barking to his leader "If you told us where the kid was we could break him out in half a second!"
"He doesn't want to be broken out," Max replied, still maintaining his cool.
"What do you mean he doesn't want to?!" Byte said as his voice began to raise again.
"It means he doesn't. Want. To leave," Max replied acidly, his impatience beginning to show.
There was a frustrated rumble, before the Wolf continued to retaliate. "You always think you're so smart don't you?! Well guess what! We've got no one to lead us!"
Max's simple reply was "The Phantom is coming. He's always here when he needs to be."
"What about now?" Hawk asked anxiously before anyone else could.
There was a tense pause, before Tales spoke "Bird Brains has a point. We're useless without the Phantom here. Byte's too brash. I'm unconfident. Hawk's head is fried, and you Max, you do well executing plans but they're always Phantom's plans. He's honestly the brains of this operation."
"And our brain is currently AFK," Byte snarled.
"I think you meant MIA," Tales corrected.
"Does it matter?!" Byte finally roared, fury embedded in his tone. "Winter is coming! We're running out of time and food!"
"For the last time, Phantom is coming," Max repeated tensely, giving one last chance for his companions to calm down.
"No! I'm sick of this!" the dog barked. "There's something you're not telling us about the Phantom, isn't there?! I know the kid, and Ezra would never-!"
"You think you know Ezra?! You think you know what's best for him?! I raised him for eight years!"
The statement was bold and overflowing with authority. I knew immediately that Max had taken enough.
"I was the one who protected him, who cared for him!" the boy yelled, his tone like venom. "I was always there! When no one else saw him I did! When he was scared I was there!"
The other three had gone silent, but Max wasn't finished.
"You think he doesn't care about you all? He sacrifices everything for you! His strength, his trust, his entire life is dedicated to taking care of the Spirits! Does that mean nothing to you?!"
No reply, again.
"I know I'm not the Phantom," Max admitted wearily, his true exhaustion showing through his voice. "I know I'm not a leader…
"But remember this. I am the Ghoul," he stated fiercely.
"And the Ghoul protects the Phantom!"
There was a long, drawn out pause, before Max finished in an almost painful tone "So if I say he's in the right place…" He hesitated, before breathing out, almost inaudible "Then he's in the right place…"
The room beyond the door had gone still. It seemed the Ghoul's words had finally knocked some sense back into his companions, causing them all to reconsider their views.
My brows furrowed slightly as my thoughts began to churn. I could see Ezra's absence was effecting the Spirits, and it pained me to hear just how important he was to them. They obviously cared, cared enough to be concerned when he wasn't with them, where in their minds, he was safe. But if Ezra had really wanted to come back, he could have easily run away anytime. There's was something keeping him with us, so I just had to trust Max and Ezra to control their own affairs.
"Hey Zeb!" Ezra called warmly as he strolled forward.
I jumped, almost dropping the bag before I caught it by the strap and replied nervously "Oh… h-hey kid!"
Shuffling could be heard from within the room beyond as Ezra immediately shot me a sceptical look. "What's wrong?" he asked sternly.
I opened my mouth to reply, but to my great relief the Control Room door opened with Max standing there, a wide smirk lining his lips. "Kid," he laughed, ruffling Ezra's blue hair in a brotherly fashion. "I knew you'd show up."
The statement was a little bit sharp, but not directed at Ezra, more at the three teens who watched from behind. I could see them turn their faces away in shame.
Ezra on the other hand seemed a little puzzled, replying "Well of course I came. What made you think I wouldn't attend the Stitching Ceremony?"
"Oh nothing, I never doubted ya," Max smirked, before waving us inside. "I hear you got something good for us. What's the news?"
"Just wait and see," he replied, almost with glee.
At first I questioned whether or not I was allowed to go in, and when Ezra reached for his backpack I offered it out to him awkwardly. The kid just laughed as if I'd cracked a funny joke, before grabbing my arm and pulling me inside. Once I stepped inside Max closed the door behind me as Ezra briefly greeted the Founding Spectres. The three of course embraced him with open arms, but I could see Max shooting them a smug, I-told-you-so glare.
Byte didn't take the subtle statement so well, turning to Ezra and asking casually "So Phantom, where ya been?"
The nineteen year old brute was quickly smacked up the back of the head by Tales, the girl staring at him with icy, narrowed orbs. Again, Ezra gave them a puzzle look, before Hawk stepped in and apologised "Sorry Phantom, Byte's been loose with his tongue again lately, ha h-ha."
Ezra's expression softened, and turning his attention back to Byte, he placed his hand on the male's broad shoulder and answered "I understand your concern. I haven't been here in our time of need, and I'm sorry."
All three faces immediately fell as they were all reminded how caring their Phantom truly was. Ezra straightened his back and smiled, explaining "I've been put into a foster home- and don't panic, they're nice."
Byte scoffed a little, until the boy continued "They've been taking care of me, they listen and… they genuinely want what's best for me."
I could feel a small grin of pride creeping onto my face at the statement.
"So, right now I could really use a favour from you guys," Ezra spoke softly, his eyes filled with electricity. "I need you all the get along, and figure things out while I'm away. I know it's not ideal, and I know the Spirits need me, but this is important… this family is important to me."
"You all can be amazing leaders, and I know, because I've seen you do it," he reassured lightly. "You just have to figure out how to do it together. Can you do that for me?"
The three glanced at each other warily in a mental debate of some sort, before they all turned to Ezra and smiled warmly. "Of course kid," Byte replied.
"Yeah, we got your back," Tales grinned.
"Do I-I still gotta stay 'way from the packs," Hawk asked skittishly as his eyes twitched abnormally.
Ezra stepped towards his friend and planted both hands firmly on his shoulders, staring straight into his eyes and saying "Hawk, I know you can do this. You've been doing so well lately."
He shook his head mournfully, stuttering "Y-You were always there to s-stop me…"
"That's okay, I'll still be here. It's just they will be the ones to stop you now," Ezra replied, nodding his head towards the other two. "Can you do that for me?"
Hawk glanced around nervously, his hands fidgeting with anxiety. No one had directly confirmed it to me, but I had a feeling the youth either had some kind of disability or was severely affected by PTSD or drugs. But going off the direction of the conversation, I was leaning towards the latter.
He remained skittish for a few moments longer, before finally glancing back at Phantom and murmuring "I… I-I'll try…"
Ezra beamed with pride, saying "Good job."
Max stepped to my side with his arms folded and a brow arched curiously, stating "We picked up that package you wanted Hotshot."
I snapped my fingers and grinned, replying hastily "Great! Where is it?"
The Ghoul walked over to a corner of the room before picking up a large, cardboard box and handing it to me cautiously. The others, their eyes now fixed on my package, walked over with wide, inquisitive eyes. "What have you got there Zeb?" Ezra pried as he gazed over the box swiftly.
"Well, I've a got lil' something for all of you," I smiled, ripping the tape from the seal and placing it on the ground.
"I've realised over the past week how important this organisation is," I admitted sheepishly while lowering myself to my knees beside the box. "And… I know how important it is to keep you're identities safe, so with the cops really cracking down on you all… I thought I'd give you a hand…"
I proceeded to lift the cardboard lid, glancing into the contents of the box as the other Spirits gathered around. Inside was filled to the brim with packing peanuts, but I lunged my hand into the soft foam and rummaged around for my gift eagerly. And when my hand finally brushed against a hard, plastered frame I dragged it from its tomb impatiently.
And there, as I held it up for the five to see, rested a polished, beautifully intricate mask.
"Whoa," Max gawked as his eyes fastened on the piece.
I smirked and passed them the object to see, the five pushing and shoving to get a hold of the cover. It was as blank as slate, gleaming in the muted light with two slits for eyes and three small grates for ventilation. It was fastened with an elastic band that connected to the pitch white mould of an expressionless face, its appearance desperately searching for an owner to possess it.
I cracked a triumphant smirk as the five revelled over the masterpiece, their eyes wide and entranced on its flawless, glistening form. "It's unreadable, and mysterious," I described with a grin, catching their attention. "Kind of like… a Ghoul, you could say?"
Max's eyes exploded in realisation as he snatched the mask from Byte's fumbling hands and lifted the piece to his face. With a swift motion the mask was now fitted to his face, his glimmering eyes shining like diamonds through the thin slits. His face was completely concealed, unrecognisable and yet somehow… intimidating. And through the grates on the mouth I could see Max's teeth flashing in an overjoyed smile.
"Hotshot!" he laughed, his voice slightly muffled but incredibly smooth. "You shouldn't have!"
"Not just for you though," I replied, pulling out yet another mask, this one in the shape of a wolf head.
Immediately, Byte leapt forward and claimed his prize, holding the half-mask up with astonishment as his face burst with excitement. I proceeded to hand Hawk and Tales one of their own in the form of a vulture and the other of a fox. The three didn't hesitate in donning their masks, and though these ones didn't completely seal their identities like Max's did, they still held a likeness to the animals they were symbolised by.
Their grins were clearly visible as the masks only covered the top half of their face, but regardless, they were leaping with energy with every moment they wore them.
I smiled, glancing up at Ezra as he watched his comrades prance in a mixture of bewilderment and excitement. His electric eyes shifted to me as he asked with a chuckle "How'd you manage to pull this one off?"
"I have a friend who owed me a favour," I explained simply. "His girlfriend's, sister's brother's roommate's cousin knew a guy who was the friend of a talented sculptor looking for a job. I pulled some strings, and here we are."
"Hotshot this is amazing!" Max exclaimed, slapping his hand on my shoulder roughly. "These masks are perfect for keeping our secrets!"
I chuckled, rubbing my shoulder gingerly. "It's alright. You guys needed it," I replied warmly.
Max walked off to join the excitement of the other three, leaving Ezra standing there with a wide smile plastered to his face. "Hey kid," I called, causing him to whip around with wide, alert eyes. My expression softened, saying "Don't think I forgot you."
I tossed him the mask, the boy catching it with ease as he took a moment to fully take in its design.
In my request, I had made this one to be specifically intricate, embedded with beautifully carved designs and patterns. At the edges the light material frilled off, causing an almost mane like appearance to the ghostly white gleam. The mask covered down to Ezra's nose and the sides of his face, but his mouth was left exposed. I decided this would be fitting, as Ezra's voice was truly his greatest weapon. His words inspired. His passion ignited. And his voice was one of a leader. One of the Phantom.
Ezra gazed upon it with awestruck eyes, his mouth a gape slightly.
"Zeb…" he murmured, his tone so gentle. "This is… amazing…"
My expression softened into a proud smile as I watched the boy run his fingers over the design so delicately. He glanced up, beaming with awe as he spoke "Thank you… you don't know how much this will help up."
"I think I do," I smirked, pushing myself to my feet and using my foot to slide the box away.
And although he was completely marvelling over my gift, I noticed how his eyes flashed at the sight of his backpack. I could practically feel the energy bouncing off him in waves as his eyes shifted to the bag, printed with an instinctual hunger for something within. I rolled my eyes and threw him the pack, stating sarcastically "It's not anything illegal is it?"
Ezra caught the bag and shot me a mischievous smirk, replying "Depends of your definition of illegal."
My brows lowered to an unimpressed frown. "I'm not gonna get arrested or anything am I?"
"Zeb, you crossed that line the moment you met me," he laughed, pulling something out of the bag and waltzing over to the table. He pulled something from the bag and planted it atop the other sheets of scribble as the other four spectres gathered around curiously. Max and Tales had taken off their masks as they took their place at Ezra's sides, while Byte and Hawk, almost childishly, played around with their animal forms. I cautiously moved towards the centre of the room, taking my place at the opposing corner to see what this oh so important delivery was.
They were papers, multiple sheets in a plastic bag as Ezra carefully laid them out. Max picked one up out of curiosity, but as soon as he read the title he drew a sharp breath.
I turned to the papers and grabbed one myself, and just like Max I couldn't help but gasp, but not out of shock, out of horror. At the top corner of each document was the Lothal police emblem, and under that were classified reports directed to Officer Kanan Jarrus.
The blood drained from my face as I stared at the paper in dismay.
"Zeb, I know what you're going to say," Ezra started nervously when he realised my reaction.
But my shock flickered to rage as I slammed the document on the worn table and barked "Where did you get these?!"
"Zeb, calm down I-"
"Does he know you took these?!" I snapped, rising in defence of my adoptive father. "Do you know you'll get arrested for taking something like this?!"
"They're not stolen, they're just… copies," Ezra tried to reason.
"And pretty damn interesting ones for that matter," Max mused as his turquoise eyes scanned over the pages. "Looks like the fuzz has their eyes on me… too bad they won't find anything."
My gaze remained fixed on Ezra as the others began reading over the documents, and for Byte and Hawk who couldn't read, Tales kindly read it out to them. But Ezra could see my penetrating glare and shifted uncomfortably for a moment. "Zeb," he spoke, picking up one of the papers. "Can I speak with you for a moment?"
Begrudgingly I threw the report back onto the table and stormed over to the door where Ezra had moved to. He raised his hands in defence as I approached, saying "Zeb, don't get mad-"
"Don't get mad at what?!" I hissed. "The fact you've dragged me into illegal doings after I've stuck my neck out for you? Or that you're betraying Kanan's trust?!"
He didn't get mad like I normally expected him to do. Instead he just gazed up at me with war-torn eyes, his expression one of sorrow. Taking a deep breath, he lifted the paper he held onto and offered it to me. "Read it," he instructed.
I glanced down at the document and scowled, but regardless, I snatched the paper and quickly glazed over it. My expression shifted almost immediately.
"Ambush on one of our trade points," Ezra explained softly, his tone darkened. But the painful part was slightly lower in the paragraphs.
I winced, glancing up at Ezra solemnly. "They we're going to take Max and use him as leverage…"
"As a hostage, to lure me out," the boy spat, his voice icy. "They were willing to blackmail me… to use someone like bait… to use my own brother as a trap…"
I pressed my lips together tightly and released a strained sigh. "Ezra… I-"
"Zeb, please just let me explain," Ezra spoke wearily, his eyes downcast. "Kanan took me to the police station last week for a day. When he'd ducked out, another officer put a classified folder in front of me and told me it was for Kanan. I was only going to look… I only wanted a heads up… but when I saw all those pages… when I read about the ambush…" He pressed his lips together and released a pained wheeze. "…I couldn't let it go…"
I glanced down at the report again, scanning over the words with a heavy heart. It detailed the layout for an attack on the Spirits, in where they would capture the Spirit Co-leader, Maximus Tontelli. It stated that if the two interrogation officers Kenobi and Kallus could not 'retrieve' any further information from Max, they would use him to arrange a meeting with the Phantom, in which they would trap and arrest him without hesitation.
"I didn't want to betray Kanan like that…" Ezra admitted shamefully. "I didn't want to break our trust. And I never wanted to drag you into all this, Zeb…"
His dulled, ocean-blue orbs raised slowly, and his expression was twisted into one of guilt.
"But I've been the Phantom far longer than Ezra," he spoke, his voice tuned with years of turmoil and agony.
"And my loyalties lie with the Spirits…"
I took a deep breath, absorbing everything that had just been placed in front of me. Emotions swirled within me like a storm as I tried to reason the situation in my mind, but it was purely a battle of loyalties. For the Ghost family, this act was illegal and a betrayal to my adoptive parents, the ones who saved me from the darkness of my past. But for the Spirits, this information could prevent the destruction of an organisation that protects, provides and supports those who were never seen. Those who were brushed over and forgotten.
Glancing up, I took a moment to gaze over the boy in front of me.
He was scruffy, and broken, and rough around the edges for sure… but all I could see were the smiles he brought to the faces around him. The Spirits were his brothers and sisters, people who he cared for like family. They relied on their leader. And I could tell Ezra would do anything for them.
My expression softening, I allowed my protectiveness of Kanan to release as I exhaled deeply. I handed Ezra the report back and murmured softly "You're protecting Max… and you're protecting them… whatever you do, I'll understand."
A weak smile broke on Ezra's face as he took the paper gently and gazed up at me with electric eyes. "Thank you Zeb," he replied, bowing his head in respect. "I know this has been difficult for you, but there are many more lives at risk in this situation… and I promise, I'll make it up to Kanan one day…"
I smiled lightly and rubbed the back of my neck. "Just… don' do anything stupid, al'right?" I teased ever so slightly.
"Never," he chuckled sarcastically, before he shot me a serious face and spoke "And thank you…"
"Don't mention it," I replied, patting his shoulder. He nodded his head in a gesture of gratitude, before I added mockingly "Seriously though, don't mention it I don't want to get arrested."
This caused a brief chuckle from the teen, before he signalled for me to follow as he stepped back towards the table. The other four had had a good chance to read over all the material, and it seemed they all knew its importance as they each held a distinct reaction when we approached.
"The pirate betrayed us," Hawk bristled nervously.
"Hondo was always a scumbag," Max replied nonchalantly as he scanned over different reports swiftly. "One day or another he was going to sell us out."
Byte snapped, his knife-like teeth gleaming as snarled. "Damn fuzz! They've got some real nerve to try'n ambush us!"
"Not nerve, clever detectives. Very clever detectives," Tales mused as she read over the pages. "Whoever this 'Kanan Jarrus' is, he's thought of every possible precaution for a foolproof attack."
"Not every precaution," Ezra piped up, gathering everyone's attention.
He smiled with pride, strolling over to an old, wooden cabinet and yanking it open. Though it was dark, I could see rolls of paper piling up on the shelves, held together with loops of fabric. Ezra climbed expertly to the top shelf and rummaged around for something in the dark, before jumping back to the floor with a wide scroll of paper in his palms.
Max's turquoise orbs lit up in recognition. "No way," he gawked. "I forgot we had that one…"
"What one?" Hawk asked uncertainly.
"The big one," Byte answered his friend.
Tales leant forward with unbound excitement, trying to get a look at the scroll as Ezra took his place at the head of the table. "You think we're ready for that?" she pried curiously.
"As ready as we'll ever be," he replied, untying the delicate fabric from the paper before laying the sheet over the table.
All eyes scanned over the intricate plans, printed with a map of Lothal and scribbled with notes and lines and circles. To me, it looked like a mess of colours and lines, but to the others, they saw a masterpiece unfolded before them.
Max's eyes bloomed with renewed life as he clasped his hands together with a triumphant 'Ha!'. "I've been waiting to use Alpha for years," he laughed heartily.
"Finally, we get our revenge on those blasted scum bags," Byte grinned, banging his fist over one of the heavily circled buildings.
"And it secures us for the winter," Tales added cheerfully. "We'll become stronger than ever!"
"But how'd we put this, in'ta these?" Hawk prodded sceptically, pointing to the police reports beneath the schematics.
Ezra placed his hands on the table and leant forward with a smile, stating "We win at their own game! Play it smart, and reap the profits!"
"Now there's our Phantom," Byte snickered with glee. "What'cha have in mind?"
Turning to face Max, Ezra smirked. "You were always good at a swindle, right?"
"Naturally," Ghoul said, running a hand through his hair dramatically. "Always did have a certain charm, eh?"
"Perfect, because I already have a plan on how to use it," the boy spoke confidently.
There was a powerful electricity running throughout the room now as the Spirits glanced at each other with devious, excited eyes. And though I honestly had no idea what was happening, I held complete faith that they knew what they were doing, as well as a little terror.
Suddenly, the atmosphere was broken when what seemed like hundreds of voices roared from outside in concentrated joy and celebration.
"Ooo, show time," Max smirked as he adjust his cloak. He glanced over at me with an enthusiastic gaze, flashing his teeth in a wide smile.
"Looks like you've made it just in time for the Stitching Ceremony, Hotshot!"
…
Did I just leave you on another cliff hanger?
Yes, yes I did.
Inner Fangirl: "You're so cruel."
I do it in the name of FEELZ! But yes, I'm going to try and get the Super Bomb out soon! Sorry I've been so inactive, life's been dragging me through the mud lately :( But hey, there might be a one shot out at some point for those who just can't wait that long! We'll see how it goes!
Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Can't wait to hear what you think in the reviews!
Maybe the force be with you, always!
-Superherotiger