Author Note: Yo, thanks for reading this chapter! Please remember to favorite, follow and review. It helps me with motivation. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and have a wonderful and awesome day!

Chapter 2

Old man's Bill's hands moved steadily over the bar stand. The old man's hands were worn, the years of scrubbing down the same bar counter shown with the age of the old man.

Bill was a massive man. His muscles tugged along the edges of his white shirt along his light blue overalls. His long legs were swollen and muscular, typical for earth benders. His grey eyes were sunken into his skull, his bald head reflected the fireplace with an immaculate glow.

His grey eyes took in the sights. The old man simply following what was going on, this was the only bar in the colony. The same patrons that have been coming here from the beginning were still the same ones around.

He watched them, the clinking of drinks as the tired miners and lumberjacks were coming back from a long day's work. Sometimes if he was lucky if a fire nation noble or bender would stop by, they always had more money to spend or enough to gamble.

Bill's eyes traced along the wooden floor as he heard the door softly creak open, the presence hitting him like a wave. Bill grasped along the table, his fingers chipping deep into it as he observed the figure. His legs were trained along the floorboard, a piece of stone stashed in his pocket if he needed to stop a fight.

His brown worker boots were rudimentary laced up, ash colliding with the ground as the fresh steps left black footprints. Bill's sigh escaped his lips as he just watched the boy approach, already turning away as he began to pick through the bottles of alcohol. Though…he could still feel the power emanating just now, though he simply shook his head. Ignoring it.

His brown jacket clung to him; the fire nation emblem embedded over the right chest area to show his position as a colony worker. Ben's hand went through his strands of long hair, pushing them away as he began to take a seat at the bar.

Bill planted the freshly poured watered down ale in front of Ben. The boy adjusting the seat of the bar stool to accommodate his large size as Bill planted both his hands on the table. His eyes setting on Ben's face.

"Ah…fuck, Ben. What the hell happened!"

Ben snorted, the boy's two fingers reaching to his nose. Almost shocked to find out that his nose was bleeding, blood still seeping from the area where Rin punched him in the face. Ben popped a thumbs up almost like he was okay, only to wipe the strand of blood free from his skin.

Ben positioned himself along the seat until he was comfortable, the fire nation supplied the bar with basic booze and the overall building. Though, they didn't care enough to maintain the building. So, the wear and tear of the bar has been riddled and spread out during these many years.

Ben simply moved his bum along the ripped up leathery seat until he found an odd adjacent sitting position. He kept his gloves on, uncommon after a long day of work but Bill already knew the deep-rooted scars and burns that resided underneath the leathery gloves.

Ben chugged down the booze. A warm glow emanating from him as a small grin began to spread across his face. When he was finished with his drink, Bill quickly went to refill him another. The first was always free, but afterwards the second was being placed on his tab.

The faint strike of a flame danced along Ben's vision. His hands scurrying along his pocket as he exposed a freshly rolled piece of tobacco, some bits of it dangling off the end in green clouds of mist. Ben simply plopping the roll in his mouth as the lit match danced along his mouth.

When he was done, the smoke escaped his nose like an enraged bill, his smile only growing wider. 'Finally…a few drinks and a couple of smokes, I can hopefully forget some more. I can even feel my connection to the force slowly lessening, almost coming like a whisper. It's almost…'

"Euphoric…" Ben whispered to himself. Not enough for Bill to hear what he spoke of, but enough to know that the boy was speaking. Bill only shook his head; he already knew that the boy was already strange. Well…

Bill remembered the trail of steel and fire crash through the sky. He could remember the sizzling of the lake as he swam towards the flying boat of steel and ash…

Bill shook the thought out of his head. He didn't want to know where Ben came from, hell he wasn't even sure if he could understand it even if it was explained to him in detail.

Ben took another hit from his smoke as his freehand ran through his hair. "Mind if you tell me what happened?" Bill spoke up, the boy stifling a groan as he began to explain what happened.

He began to explain in detail about finding the three healthy trees he was planning on cashing in, mentioning how it was solely based on luck that he found these three trees. Though he could tell with the roll of Bill's eyes that he didn't just believe it was luck.

He even went to explain to Bill the confrontation that would follow. The boy even bringing up how Rin even tried cutting him down with an axe. Though, he lied about how the confrontation ended…he didn't mention the part about using the force to choke the old drunk.

Instead opting out to say that he batted the axe away and used his own hands to choke him out. As the words poured out, Bill gazed at Ben's unsteady hands. He couldn't see scar tissue or any blood on his gloves except for the one he wiped off his own nose.

Bill only shook his head at the boy's story, only opting to believe it…he already tried to talk to Ben about his past, but he was only rewarded with brushes and a redirected conversation. "Did you tell the foreman…you know…"

"About Rin?" Ben quickly replied, a forceful chuckle emptying from his mouth. "Nah…it will only result in more trouble, and if I did all the other workers would beat him. We can't have a murder here again…remember what happened a couple months ago?"

Bill could remember what he was talking about. During a mining shift two guys got into it, and the argument was bad enough for one of them to lift their pickaxe and slam it into the other guys' stomach. The pickaxe ripped through him, and the guy ran away and acted like nothing happened.

The fire nation by their country legislative had to do a routine investigation. They couldn't have their workers killing one another on one of their most promising work colonies. It was bad for business and morale.

So, the fire nation detectives did an island wide investigation. The mines effectively being closed as the investigation continued, though there were only two main sources of unemployment and cutting one in half wasn't good for either side.

Now the miners were tirelessly trying to scrounge healthy trees to cash in for money while the others had to deal with interlopers trying to steal their prospects. Ben mostly walked out with black eyes and bruises riddled throughout his body, due to his ability he would know where such life was, but the other miners/lumberjacks didn't like that so much.

The guy was eventually caught and sent to a fire nation prison but the miners and the lumberjacks each knew how easily they could get screwed over if the fire nation was involved. What Rin did if revealed would cause the old man to get beaten so badly in retaliation that he would be stuck in the med bay for months.

Ben only groaned as he wiped another strand of hair off his brow. "God…I really need a haircut." The boy slowly yawned as his eyes began to trace along the bar. His brown eyes slowly training along a table. The miners and lumberjacks were now starting to slowly shuttle in from there shifts, even the doctor of the colony began to sit at the bar motioning for a drink as Bill quickly scuttled to grab a bottle from the top shelf.

Ben took another sip from his drink. His thoughts and memories slowly dimming like a candle that burnt far too bright, his eyes slowly closing as he began to take in the sounds of clinks of cups and joyful and hearty laughter.

"I'm telling you, son." A stern voice erupted from right behind him. "Being a warrior for the fire nation would be the best thing that has ever happened to you…"

Ben didn't turn his head. His eyes solely focused on the stacks of booze in front of him. His palms on the side of his drink as Bill began to engage with small talk with the doctor. It was good to keep up good relations on the colony.

Ben heard of something like this. He heard that the fire nation was recruiting more members into their cause, mostly non benders on their colonies. Not earth benders or old people but their children. Ben suspected that this was to keep loyalty towards the fire nation, an old man could very well use the newfound freedom and become a spy for the revolution. Or maybe even use what you learned from the fire nation and join the army like that.

He didn't know the boy's name…he was another miner for the colony. He had light chestnut eyes and brown curly hair that went down to his neck. He wore the standard grey and white apparel for the miners. Though, the boy was very young. Thirteen years old at least…

'The damn kid is still going through puberty! What the hell is the fire nation thinking…that is so wrong on so many levels, dragging kids into your own war. It's not the kids fault that the fire nation wants to conquer everything. Leave him alone!'

Ben's thoughts echoed through his mind. His fingernails digging the wood of the bar as he tried to keep himself still and calm, it was meant to be a relaxing afternoon. A time to forget about everything that happened and to just take in the smokes and the nice drink.

Who cares? It wasn't Ben's business to get involved with another person's affairs. If the kid was smart, he wouldn't accept, he would deflect their questions and try to ease himself out of the conversation. If he listened to their half promises or was some sort of glory seeker than it would fall on him.

"Heh…" Ben chuckled as he stared at the brown wood that made up the bar. His nail marks ingrained into it as he tried to keep himself composed. "It's almost like, I heard of something like this before."

The moment the words were whispered, Ben's breathing stilled. The hair on his arms rising like an endless cold washed over the boy. The exile…his eyes scanning along the wooden table, the memories stabbing into him, feasting along him like a pack of rats along a dead animal.

His eyes…vibrant and red as they..

"Do not heed the words of the jedi council. The republic will fall if we do not act now. Already the Mandalorians have taken three systems along the Rim. They will only grow more powerful with time."

Ben's fingers dragged up wooden chips, his fingers curling into fist as he took a deep breath. His face scrunched up like a piece of ragged paper.

Malak…that pompous fuck. He was the one that recruited Benjamin, he lured him and the others with speeches of grandeur and honor. Telling the young apprentices that the council was wrong and misguided…comparing the council to the ones of the time around Exar Kun.

Ben's awakening with his new master and his skills with the other…darker abilities of the force. He couldn't resist the passion of battling another enemy and being called a hero no less. Maybe it was the blood of mandalore that pumped in his veins that gave him the urge to fight.

'What the hell am I thinking…god. It's been years ever since Ma told me of that fairytale, I am no son of Mandalore and I am neither a jedi or a Sith. God…I'm not even a warrior. I disgrace the field of battle.'

Ben stared down at the table. Memories of a life he left behind…memories he tried to shun when he was a jedi. Memories of a woman's face that he couldn't remember. 'I wonder…what would mom think of what I have become…'

Ben could only stare as his eyes were locked onto the wooden table, even so his fingers would still claw into the table. Even the bits of booze along the bar cabinets were slowly beginning to hover.

"It will be fine, kid. It's kind of like an…adventure!"

The fire nation recruiter sputtered out with a mighty laugh, another laugh following. Ben didn't' turn around to realize that there was another companion around him. He didn't care…it was taking all of his self-control not to go over there and bash the guy's head in with a fucking bottle.

Bill…

After engaging with the mild small talk, he gazed along Ben. It hit him…it was like a blast of unnatural heat, almost sickly. His eyes widened as he stared at Ben, the sight of the boy's face riddled with hate and anger as he quickly began to worry.

He already knew that Ben had a temper…a temper that only would get worse when he was drinking. Bill was about to intervene…though it was like an explosion. Ben's mouth opening like a snarl, his voice like a howl as he shot up from his seat with such intensity, that the boy split the seat in half.

The sudden display of power causing Bill to stare at the table for a second…his eyebrows jutting up as he saw cinder slowly brighten up the ripped-up cloth. Almost like…lightning.

"How about you leave the kid alone…go bother someone else with your meaningless war!"

Ben's voice arose through the bar. The striking voice cutting through the air like a sharpened blade. The fire nation recruiters stared up at the boy. Ben's towering form stood taller than both as he got a better look at them.

Two men…both wearing light red tunics, each with a fire nation emblem attached to their chest. Their eyes, each pair widened from the sudden shock of one of the workers standing up to them. Ben wasn't an idiot…he already knew the tension between the fire nation and the workers.

The majority of workers in general were earth kingdom refugees. Forced to work for the fire nation like prisoners for a measly paycheck. Even so the recruiters gazed along the occupants of the bar.

Though…they received the opposite reaction. They were expecting the workers to jump to them, they were the fire nation workers or rather slaves. Though, they were simply met with sneers of disgust. Some whoops being echoed along the room to "Kick their asses Benji!"

Sweat began to pour from the one wearing glasses. The guy quickly beginning to clean them with the hem of his shirt as he began to stutter some sort of response. The other man, one sporting a full head of black hair gazed at Ben.

His eyes hovered over Ben's form. Taking in the boy's massive height and his athletic body as he began to try and formulate a plan. He already knew that the kid they were trying to recruit would have had not been any use to the fire nation infantry. Someone that would merely be used as cannon fodder.

Though this kid…a small grin appeared over his face as he tried to formulate a plan to change the heart of this boy. There were quotas for being a recruiter and pay bonuses if they recruited another warrior to join their armada.

"Listen, as I miner working the colony. You already pay a heavy due to the fire nation, and to our fire lord…how would it feel traveling the world and trying to…"

Ben snorted. The sudden noise cutting the recruiter short. "I don't give a fuck about your shitty war or the firelord. Leave the kid alone."

The command shook through the two men. The miners and lumberjacks slowly pushing themselves off their seats, some even dragging out faint shivs or other weapons from their pockets. Though…none were aimed at Benjamin, there hate, and anger were solely on the fire nation soldiers.

Ben's hate…towards the jedi, the Mandalorians and the war in general. They could feel it like a blast of warm heat, luring them closer towards the boy's hate. Almost like an invisible presence was slowly and ushering them to act, to follow the boy and his maddened rage.

But as Ben was talking, he could see a different shift in the other man's eyes…the one wearing the thick glasses. How the sudden mention of the fire lord caused him to bite his lip. Ben's lips formed into a steady grin as he began to formulate the next stages of the conversation.

Ben turned his gaze back to the crowd. "The fire lord you say…" The recruiter that wore the glasses eyes connected with Ben's own. "That fucking coward, why should I pay a heavy due to a prick like that."

Ben twisted his words as the crowd softly cheered, their hands pumping into the air as the waves of hate and anger rolled off of him. He wanted to twist them, have them throw the first punch.

The one with glasses snarled, taking a step forward towards Ben as the other fire nation representative stopped him. Ben could sniff the brandy that clung to the recruiter's mouth. "You filth don't know!"

'Well, that was quicker than I expected…'

Ben chuckled at the thought as the drunk recruiter turned around to face the surrounding crowd. Unaware or too drunk to realize that no one was cheering him on or was planning on aiding him. Even the other recruiter tried to grab the others shoulder. Trying to stop his friend from doing something that he knew he would regret.

Only to have his hands brushed off his shoulders. The drunk recruiter now turning towards the crowd, even forgetting that he was meant to be arguing with Benjamin. "We give our lives to protect you, but you don't give a shit! You don't care about all we have done for you…giving you homes and even work!"

The recruiter once again locked onto the other. His fingers clawing into his shoulder muscles as he tried to wrench his friend out of the bar. Though, the recruiter was right of course. Ben was not from here and never cared enough about the war, simply wishing to be forgotten and to die in peace. Though…the others held hatred towards the fire nation that ran deep into the cracks of history and time.

It didn't take long for a bottle from the crowd to be thrown. The sudden crack and wisp from the air caused Ben to snap his head in realization, taking an extra step back to cut the distance between the object.

The object struck the recruiter along the side of his face. His glasses snapping upon impact as he collapsed onto the floor. The resounding thud was like a war drum, the hidden weapons the miners held appeared from there clutches.

Ben didn't move…his eyes still staring down at the cowering recruiter as the workers were fueled by rage and hate. Taking the next steps to rip through the two-fire nation recruiters, to the workers it was their fault.

There homes…their lives…their families were lost due to the fire nation and there war. In a mixture of hysteria and the power Ben secreted, they were thrown into a rampage, until…

A powerful blast of earth bending protruded in front of Ben. A massive pillar being over three meters in size appearing in the middle of the room. The sudden bang and destruction caused the workers to halt there advance. Some even slipping on the floor from the sudden shock.

"Everyone…out!" Bill screamed, his earth bending stance solid and unopposed as everyone began to shuttle out. Ben even taking a step forward as he was about to head to his apartment only for Bill to shake his head.

Ben shook his head, groaning as he began to take a seat at the stool. Already knowing how long such a conversation was going to take. He shuffled back onto the bar stool that he was sitting prior. Though…his eyes widened as he stared at the chair, embers sparking from the cotton.

Sweat began to form once again as Ben's eyes traced along the cloth. 'Impossible…it has to be!' The boy thought. He put it back where he found it, hoping that the others didn't pay any attention. Hoping that due to the chaos that was caused that they simply would just have not even noticed it.

"What the fuck was that…" Bill spoke, almost like a gasp of air. Even rubbing his temple from the amount of stress that the last five minutes caused him.

Bill planted both of his hands heavily on the wood. The sudden creaking of the bar echoed throughout the room as Ben's thoughts raced. 'Maybe if I played dumb…or if I try and ease the conversation somewhere else.'

Bill shook his head at Ben, dismissing the boy entirely before he could even speak. "…and don't even think of trying to change the conversation."

Ben scoffed as he wrapped his hands around himself as Bill could only sigh. Pouring a glass of alcohol as he began to down it in a singular swig. "I'm worried about you…Ben. Tonight, what you did…"

"What I did!" Ben forcefully chuckled, taking a swig from his drink. "You think I caused all that insanity…please Bill." He softly whispered, but Bill could see the sweat beginning to form along his brow.

"The recruiters were trying to involve a damn kid in there fucking war. What did they expect…for people to be cool with it? There lying, telling this kid tales about how the war was some sort of adventure. War…war…war is hell!"

Bill took a deep breath wondering how to respond. He knew that Ben was not from here…he knew that there were mental issues that could develop from war, he could understand and talk to a veteran that fought against the fire nation. But he had no idea the type of horrors Ben was forced to endure.

Hell, he was already a mess…a borderline alcoholic and a chain smoker. Bill already knew that the damn kid had issues sleeping, it was getting to the point where he wanted to involve the doctor, but he already knew that Ben wouldn't sit down and talk about his feelings…

"A weakness…to rely on others." Were his words when Bill suggested it to him. If Ben didn't want help, then what else could be done.

"It's not my fault that things got out of hand." Ben snapped back. Bill refocusing back onto there conversation as he planted both of his hands onto the table.

He shook his head, the boy failing to grasp what he was saying or once again trying to play stupid. "Maybe, maybe not. This is my fault anyway. Ben…I need to understand what just happened. I never probed you for information, I saved you from that…"

"Don't…" Ben already knew what he was talking about, all he wanted right now before this confrontation was to simply just forget. He didn't want to talk about this anymore. "I don't want to talk about where I came from. I told you that morning after you saved me…that all I just wanted was a place to be forgotten, a place to just disappear."

"Yes…I understand, Ben. Though, you chocked out Rin today, and I know it was self-defense. Also, tonight with the crowd it was just…"

"Why do you care so much, god Bill!" Ben snapped, the boy nearly launching himself off his stool as he was simply wrestling with the idea of walking away. "This isn't the first time I got into a bar fight. This isn't the first time that a crowd of people were pissed off at the fire nation. What do you want from me!"

"You were angry…Ben. Angrier than I had ever saw you before. You walk away from conversation nearly all the time. You try and never get involved. But today…it was like getting slammed in the face by a raging bull, everyone could feel it. The crowd turned ugly, Ben. It was like they were feeding off your rage and your hate. You were just sending off waves of hatred towards the fire nation and the war. We just got swept into it, like a tornado or a tsunami. Even…Even me. It was like when I was fighting as a revolutionary again, as a freedom fighter!"

"The hate I felt for the fire nation was there…sparking like its own very flame. It was insane, I wanted to kill them. Break their bones with my earth bending and pound them into the earth, It took everything I had, Ben. It took everything I had to not kill them. Everything…my soul…my brain…my heart was ordering me to slaughter them, how could they in my own bar. Promote the war that destroyed my homeland!"

Ben's sweat poured down from him. Refusal or denial etched along his face, maybe trying to not take the blame. Maybe even hoping to avoid it somehow or maybe even to just.

"That's impossible…it has to be. I cut myself off from the force…I cut myself off from it. So…why do I still struggle with the dark side, even after all of this."

Ben knew that his relationship with the force was complicated. After Malachor V…during the civil war. There was an emptiness within him, a wound in the force.

"I think you shouldn't stay here anymore." Bill spoke, his voice unopposed and powerful. Ben nearly falling off his chair from the sudden weight of it. 'Are you…are you abandoning me as well, Bill?'

Bill saw the dip of the boys mood but he already knew that he had to continue speaking to him about this. "Ben, your what…Fifteen or what sixteen. You have your whole life ahead of you. I don't know why you crashed onto this world, or these strange abilities you have. But…your destiny isn't here on this shitty colony."

Ben shook his head, avoiding Bill's gaze. Ben just didn't know…even as he tried to wrack his brain around his issues, he did want help. A part of him knew that he needed help and someone to talk to, but he was afraid.

What would Bill think of him…if he truly told him everything. What would he think if Ben told him about how he abandoned his order to fight against the Mandalorian threat, how he lost himself in the war to the point where he became a monster? "This place…is where those that wish to be forgotten wish to come to. I fit in here, I don't want to leave."

Bill slammed his hand along the table, the sudden noise caused Ben to jolt. "Ben, are you okay here? Are you actually happy…how many years till you die from some alcohol binge or the smoke in your lungs chokes you out one day!" Ben didn't speak a single word. His gaze still focused on the table as Bill was busy screaming his lungs out. "Why…why are you so content with this life. You're so young."

"You wouldn't understand…you speak of war and freedom, when you don't even know the price of such things!" Ben shot up from his seat, his legs already moving him towards the door. "I don't want to be involved with another war! I have no desire with the Mandalorians…the Jedi…or this firenation!"

"All I want, all I have ever wanted was some peace and quiet! I don't care about this world…I don't care about the fire nation…they can burn this whole world down and I won't even give a shit!"

Ben shot up from the stool, even as Bill called out to him he refused to go back. The crisp air of the setting sun hitting him in vibrant waves as he struggled to take the next step. Though, he was always hesitating, always…hesitating.