AN: Thanks for the support! You guys rock! This chapter is dedicated to UnknownSeven7. Thank you so much for the kind words, they mean the world to me! But I really want to do my best to update as fast as possible...since I have some change of plans...
I have decided that this story will have a sequel, but it will be more like part two (or part three, since I plan on taking the whole dream-memory arch, from chapter 16-34 and move it into a separate story called part two: Sleeping Beauty Ben). So there are seven chapters left of this part. The last (next) part, A whole new world, has a different tone then this one (way more silly, fluffy, but also angsty and darker and some romance!), so I felt it wise to split it up, plus it would make for easier read but that part will be 24 chapters with an epilogue - and go all the way to the Last Jedi with a twist!)
At last, I couldn't resist adding some Last Shot spoilers in this chapter after reading that wonderful book. I highly recommend it and not just because of the chibi Ben Solo stuff, but also because it has a great story. And how awesome was it to see Lando in action again! Unca Wanwo! I got even more excited for the Solo movie next month. I got so inspired by the book that I wrote a one shot with unca wanwo that I will publish in the near future, after I have rewritten it. I will try to finish this part first.
Enough blabbering and on with the story! Another long chapter. :S All the unca Luke chapters are so wordy...but Luke is still being "tormented" by naughty little Ben. ;)
Chapter twenty seven - Just normal Skywalker family stuff
Even though the window on his uncle's office was muted so no noise from the crazy weather could come inside, thunder rumbled in Ben's head after his uncle's shocking revelation, as he tried to come up with counter arguments like his mother had taught him.
"But, you said dad never came here...from a certain point of view? Either he did come or not. He's not a Darth Plagueis's cat. He can't be in two places at once...not even in a dream," said Ben, as he pointed out the flaw in his uncle's logic.
"Don't you often dream of him coming here and bringing you home?" Luke explained to him as it was just another lesson in his classroom.
"Yeah, but...it felt different...it felt...so real..." Ben looked down in sadness, as if he had lost something precious he never had and Luke nodded in agreeance.
"Some dreams are like that. The feel as if they really happened. Good or...bad dreams. This could even be a dream." His uncle waved his hand as if he was trying to conjure something up, to prove his point.
Thankfully nothing happened, so at least this was real, although Ben wasn't sure if that was good or not.
"He was going to pay for the padawan robes I ruined, but you stopped him," Ben pointed out when remembered a new detail, to disprove what his uncle said.
Luke smiled sadly at the lightweight argument. "You really think he would've bailed you out like that? It wouldn't have taught you anything..."
"He was going to tell on me to mom...or no wait, he wasn't...I think..." Ben grabbed his head in pain, as he tried to make sense of things.
Luke put him on his lap and lifted up his chin, and gazed into his eyes, like he was about to tell him the most important thing in the world. "Listen to me...it was just a bad dream,"
"What do you mean a bad dream? Isn't it good that he came...? Even in a dream...? Though I would've preferred it to be real...are you sure it wasn't real?" pleaded Ben, as he struggled to get his dream reality back.
Yeah...?
KR: Nah.
"He left you here, that's bad isn't it..from your point of view? Because from my point of view, if he would take you, it would be very bad for you and...especially the galaxy," said his uncle.
"Why...?"
"You know why, you have way too much darkness...it's dangerous, we must get rid of it...and you are the chosen one. The galaxy needs you...I need you." He hugged him close and Ben pushed him away.
"That makes no sense...you tried to kill me..." he spit out and his uncle sighed.
"You are never going to let that go. Still doesn't mean I don't love you...my father... no, I mean Vader...I mean..." Luke went white as a sheet and he covered Ben's ears even though the damage was already done.
"Vader loved you...?" Ben asked, stunned over that information and his uncle uncovered his ears, when he tried to do some damage control.
"Erm...he killed the emperor for me."
"So he did it because he...loved you?" Ben blinked in astonishment. "Why did he love you? Wasn't he way too old for you? I thought you loved mom...until you found out she was your sister...then it was only sibling love, right?"
"Vader didn't love me like that, you little fool..." his uncle said, without giving any further information and hoping that would be the end of it.
"Oh...how then?" Ben's eyes shone with excitement, that he was finally able to get to the depths of uncle's strange connection with Vader.
I would kill Snoke for Rey...in a heartbeat.
KR: What...why are you thinking about that? Are you planning on going back to the First Order?
Maybe...
KR: Interesting...and there is nothing special that Vader loved Luke, Vader loves me the most!
I seriously doubt that...
KR: You are just jealous.
"And that was after he tried to kill me...and I tried to kill him...you know family stuff. Kind of..." Luke shrugged his shoulders, as if it was common occurrence for loving family to try to kill it each other.
"Why?" pried Ben, as he saw no link between Vader and the word family. "Wait, this goes against everything you told me, I thought we weren't supposed to hurt family...oh right...Vader wasn't family...why did you bring him up? I thought we weren't supposed to talk about him? I'm so confused..."
"Umm...forget what I just said. Anyway, you have far more important things to do than smuggle things. You don't have time for that...and it's way too dangerous. Someone or something is after you...you have to be prepared. I'm only one who can help you. Why can't you see that?"
Smuggle? Why would I do that? Wouldn't I just go back to school right? Which I wouldn't have wanted so...
KR: He was talking about your what if future...and what do you really want?
I wanted to be with dad. But, I want to be with Rey now!
KR: He doesn't want you. Neither of them want you...
You don't know that!
KR: You are with them now...yet here you are with me...and the stupid Jedi. Hiding.
I'm not hiding...from him...or Rey...
KR: Your father is furious...and think Rey is not happy with you either...
That's nothing new...then I will make Rey happy...I really have to get out of here.
KR: Are you sure...?
Yes...but I guess I want a real answer first, since we bothered to come here...hopefully something for Rey...
KR: You already got your answer...or are you trying to find an answer that will please you...? What, Rey...? This is your brain...you lovesick fool...
Of course...there is something more...I can feel it...there is some connection to my Rey in here...
KR: Then you are in for a long wait...
So I will find something pleasing...? Something about Rey?
KR: Maybe...
"I thought dad was going into racing and shipping," said Ben as if that would make the whole difference.
His uncle scoffed. "Or that. Still not your job..."
"What is my job? And who's after me? Why? Because of this chosen one thing...?" asked Ben with worry in his eyes.
"Yes," said his uncle with finality and the hope that Ben would at last see the gravity of the situation.
"And you sleep with a lightsaber, because someone is after me?" Ben lifted eyebrow in disbelief.
"Yes."
"Which you nearly killed me with."
"Yes..." Luke threw his lightsaber away with disdain and hugged Ben. "I'm really sorry about that. Won't happen again."
"Can I have it?" Ben pointed at the saber on the floor.
"What? No." His uncle picked up the saber and stored it safely away.
"But shouldn't I be the one to have a lightsaber, if I'm in danger?"
His uncle frowned at him like it was the least thing from his mind. "No...or maybe when you are older and more mature." He relented. "I will teach you how to make your own."
Later I slept with my lightsaber since uncle was always coming into my room when sleepwalking and nearly killing me by an accident...
KR: Are you sure it was an accident?
Of course...at that time...he probably wants to kill me today...for real...
KR: Probably...? Haha...so naive...
He said it was training...no wonder I broke down eventually...especially since something similar had already happened to me in the past...
KR: What...?
"I don't believe you." Little Ben jumped off the sofa and glared at his uncle.
"What do you mean?" asked his uncle innocently.
"I don't believe it for a second that dad coming here was a dream." Ben put on his most fearsome scowl and paced in front of his uncle, like he was trying to get him to confess to a crime he had committed.
"Oh...?" said his uncle who was not in the least intimidated by his little act.
KR: Hey, what happened in the past?!
HA! Now it's time for you to wait for something!
KR: Jerk...
"There is only one way to settle this and that is to simply call dad and ask him." Ben was about to dive for the stolen com-link in his oversized robe, but caught himself in time, as he didn't want his uncle to find out about the theft.
"I don't have his number," replied Luke, but Ben has having none of that and pointed accusingly at him, like he was in front of a court:"Liar, he said he gave it to you!"
"It didn't happen!" yelled Luke back at him.
"Yes, it did." Ben punctuated his statement by stomping his feet all over the muddy floor and dragging with it his oversized robe in the process.
"Ben, I really don't want to fight you on this..." pleaded Luke and grimaced when Ben made even more mess of his room. "Stop dirtying my floor."
"Then call him and ask," commanded Ben and ignored Luke's scolding. In fact, he dipped his hand into the mud and smeared the walls with it, like he hoped that would make his uncle crack and confess.
His uncle sighed, gripped his little hand to stop him messing up more and carried him over the refresher in the back room. "I can't...however, I could contact your mother and ask her to contact your father...but that would mean she would had to know that you are still up and all the naughty things that you did tonight." Luke smirked like he has little naughty nephew corned by that argument and turned on the water to clean his hands.
"And that you tried to kill me." Ben smirked when he showed his trump card in return and smeared his uncle's cheek with mud just to spite him.
Luke's smile faltered. "Yes...so you see neither of us would win." He wiped of the dirty handprint with the back of his hand and glared at his nephew.
"I would win." Ben grinned, but his uncle shook his head and washed Ben's little hands thoroughly under the faucet.
"No, she will be very unhappy that you are still up...or the fact that you went outside in the rain without a raincoat, snuck inside my office while I was asleep and tried to read my mind...and that I nearly killed you by an accident because of those actions."
KR: That prick managed to flip all the blame over to us...
Yeah...
Ben gulped. "Okay...you win..."
"I thought so." His uncle turned off the water and handed him a towel, as he went in the back to fetch a wash basin that he filled with water and soap. He picked up a mop.
"Unless you want to clean this up, I suggest you return to your room at once," Luke said in warning tone. "And take off those socks, they are dirty. Put on some slippers. And the robe is dirty now, take it off. Find something else to wear." When Ben didn't move after that overload of instructions for an exhausted child's brain to take in, his uncle sighed and helped him dress, before returning to the mopping.
"Now, go."
Ben bit his lower lip. He really did not want to have to clean anything up, but at the same time he still hadn't got what he came for, so he asked as he moved over to his uncle desk:"But how can you contact dad if you don't have his number? You said that you would contact dad the moment the darkness was gone from me."
Luke trained his eyes on the floor as he moped each inch of it. "I will find some way, don't worry, just focus on your training...and the darkness is far from gone from you. Go back to your room, now. Don't let me tell you that again...BEN!"
His uncle turned just as Ben had gone through his drawers and held aloft a paper with a number.
"Isn't that his number? The one dad left behind?"
"This isn't the number you are looking for." Luke waved a hand and let go of the mop.
Is he lying to me?! Jedi mind tricking me?!
KR: Now, why would your former master do that?
"Are you Jedi mind tricking me?" Ben frowned at him.
"No, I will never lie to you, only tell you the truth from a certain point of view." Luke put the mop away with the force.
KR: Like Obi Wan did with...killed your father...is your father...
Was uncle trying to keep me there for some bad reason? Could it be that he was working with Snoke?
KR: AHAHAHAHAH! No, you idiot! It was the opposite he was trying his best to protect you from him...not that it did any good...and it was none of his business!
He's lying...or at least hiding something...
"Okay, then I will just test this number and..." Before Ben knew what he was doing, he had picked up the stolen com-link and was about to use it in front of his uncle, who shouted at him.
"Stop! Hey, where did you get a com-link?"
Ben froze when he realized his mistake way too late.
Luke dove into his pocket. "Did you steal it..." He felt through in his pocket. "Did you steal this from my...pocket?!" thundered Luke and grabbed his nephew before he could make a run for it. He put him atop his desk and leaned dangerously over him.
"No," muttered Ben stubbornly, who was not going to break down under the second interrogation that night.
KR: So naughty, stealing and lying about it! Twice!
Shut up...and not the stupid desk again...
"Yes, you did and it was very wrong. I knew it, you were lying to me. You did take this. Admit it!" Luke shoved the com-link in his face, the evidence of his crime where he forced Ben to sit on the naughty desk.
Ben squeezed his eyes shut, as if that would make his stupid uncle disappear.
"Ben, I put it on purpose there. It was a test, and you failed it."
"I failed it...?" asked Ben surprised, as he had not known about any tests and opened his eyes to meet his uncle's worried ones.
"Yes, you know it's wrong to steal. Now tell me why you took it." Luke's blue eyes studied him carefully.
"I need it," spat Ben.
His uncle shook his head. "That doesn't make it any better."
Ben's anger flared at the injustice, that suddenly he was in the spotlight. "It's all your fault."
"My fault?" asked Luke stunned.
"Yeah, why couldn't you just give it to me? Then I wouldn't have had to steal it," sneered Ben, when he stated the obvious.
A vein was about to burst on his uncle's forehead. He clenched his fists and took a deep breath to calm himself. Luke paced in front of his little nephew like a rancor, who gulped and looked frantic at the door at the end of the room.
KR: Wow, you are really standing up to your uncle...
He looks like he wants to kill me...
KR: That's nothing new...
Sadly, no...
"That's not how it works! Are you telling me you are not the slightest sorry for taking it?" shouted his uncle at him, despite his best attempt to calm his temper.
"Yes." Out of the corner of his eye, Ben saw the ancient saber hanging on the wall and he started to reach out to it with force, just in case his uncle would try something and he would have to defend himself.
Luke picked him off the table, before he even managed to lift it up an inch and carried him to exit with a thunderous expression. "You really are something else! You know, I really should put you in a long timeout for breaking into my office, trying to read my mind, stealing from me and for lying about it...and trying to get the saber from the wall." His uncle glanced over his shoulder at the saber and glared at Ben, who played innocent. "Don't think, I didn't notice." He put him down.. "But I'm too tired and you really need to sleep. You should be thankful that I do not call your mother and tell her about this. But rest assured that we will discuss all of this in the morning...just not now..." He pointed out the open doorway. "Sleep."
He was too tired to even discipline me...
KR: I sure hope he will be too tired when I finally find him!
Yeah, because that's the only way you can defeat him...
KR: Not true! I could defeat him with both hands tied behind my back and blindfolded!
How would you use your lightsaber then? The force?
KR: It's just a expression...dimwit...
Ben sighed, he knew when he was defeated, but just as he was about to take the first step into the hallway, his uncle pulled him back.
"Wait...did your father teach you to break into houses...or pick pockets...?"
Where did that come from...? Why is he shifting the blame to dad...?
KR: But he did teach you to be a criminal...?
Well...him and unca...I mean uncle Lando...
KR: What great role models...
Says the one with Vader as a role model!
KR: And what's wrong with him?
You know what...
KR: No, what?
So stupid...
Ben turned slowly to his uncle and puffed out his cheeks nervously. "Are you going to tell mom...?" He put his fingers together and looked shamefully at the ground and back at his uncle.
Luke rubbed his face in frustration. "That's...unbelievable...but no...not if you say you are sorry."
Ben's eyes got as big as possible and he put his hands together in a prayer. "I'm really, really sorry, but can I still try this number...?
His uncle bit his lower lip. "This is not his number...but I have it...on paper..." He looked at his desk like it was the most interesting thing in the galaxy.
He does?
KR: From a certain point of view...
Ben smirked and crossed his arms. "When did dad give it to you...? I thought it was a dream." He pointed out.
Luke turned from admiring his desk. "Actually, it's your mom's number, but I can call her and ask her to contact your father..however that would mean she would find out that you were still up..and what you did. Do you think she would like that?" he shot back and pulled the mom card again, your mommy will be angry.
Ben got on his tiptoes, as if that would help him reach his uncle in size or to get the high ground. "Why did you lie to me?"
"Lie? I told you the truth has many sides..." said his uncle hurriedly as his eyes seemed to be searching for a way out, but the exit was blocked by Ben.
Are there more sides except the light and dark?" Ben advanced towards his uncle, who backed away from him all the way against his desk, where Ben had him cornered.
"No darkside talk!" shouted Luke and threw shaky hands up in the air, like Ben had used some awful curse word.
"What about the greyside?" Ben tilted his head.
Luke shook his head ferociously. "Too close to the darkside. Let the topic drop...you are too young for it. It's too dangerous." He put arms on Ben's shoulders and whispered the last part in his ear in a conspiratorial voice.
KR: What a loser...
Yeah...
KR: Darkside rocks!
Of course it does...
KR: Finally you have seen the light! I mean...erm...
I was joking...
KR: Maybe grey is the way to go...
Really?
KR: Nah.
Ben narrowed his eyes and poked his uncle in the stomach with his finger. "You still lied to me, you said you couldn't contact him. You said he couldn't come here." He punctuated each word with a hard poke.
Luke backed away from his poking and hit his back on the desk in return. He grimaced and rubbed his back with a pout. "I didn't lie. I can only contact your mother...and he can never come here..."
"Really...? Are you sure he never came here? It...felt so real..." muttered Ben, who walked like in a trance.
Luke jumped up like he had seen a ghost. "What...now...? Here...? When?" No. He can't come here...yet. I put a force shield, no one can land without my permission."
Ben turned to him. "Never?"
Luke nodded. "Yes, never...well not until you can go home...and not a minute sooner."
"When will that be...? Why can't he just come now!" Ben looked longingly at the door, as if he was expecting his father to show up out of nowhere.
"However, you can call your mother...but she's probably in a late night meeting." His uncle handed him the com-link. "But you are welcome to try...and interrupt her...very important meeting..." Luke grinned, like he was sure Ben would never risk that, as she hated being disturbed.
Ben took the com-link from his uncle's hand. "Of course she is...maybe I should call her and lecture her for not taking better care of her health...and let her know what you tried to do...to me..." Ben smiled evilly at the look of panic that came on his uncle's face.
"I doubt she would like that...you are supposed to be sleeping..." said his uncle who made a grab for the com-link, but Ben ran out of the door.
"BEN!" Luke followed after him. "Come back here!"
Ben suddenly stopped in the middle of the hallway, like he had been hypnotized.
"Ben...?" said his uncle worried.
Ben stared in daze ahead and turned to his uncle. "I can tell her about the girl. She will be happy to know I have a girlfriend...or potential one..." With a goofy smile he held the com-link to his heart and turned his gaze at the end of the corridor, like he saw someone there.
"HEY!" Ben fumbled after the com-link his uncle had managed to snatch easily, when he zoned out like an idiot.
KR: You got distracted by a girl...? You haven't changed at all...
Oh...like you would do any better? Besides, it's my Solo blood...
KR: And your Skywalker blood makes sure you only set your eyes on one girl...
Yeah.
KR: That's healthy...
"What, girl...I thought she was the chosen one...or is she someone else?" Luke shook his head and pocket the com-link. "It doesn't matter, who she is, you can't have a girlfriend. Jedi code...I thought you didn't even believe in romance..." He pushed Ben across the dark hallway toward his room.
"Only with my dream girl," said Ben and exhaled like she was the most wonderful thing in the galaxy.
His uncle huffed. "Fine, fine, as long as you keep her in your dreams."
"She's real! I want her!" Ben dug his heels into the floor and glared at his uncle, for suggesting otherwise.
KR: So you were cheating on Rey...
Who says it wasn't Rey?!
KR: I don't believe she's the only girl you have ever thought of that way...
You even said yourself Skywalkers choose a mate for life. Nothing can change that.
KR: Yeah, like Luke with your mother...
Erm...I hope not! But, I do remember vaguely dreaming about some girl...but I don't remember her name...or if she even had one...or if she was even real...
KR: Meaning it was not Rey, since there is no way that you would forget about her.
You do bring up a strong point...but at the same time I just...I just can't imagine it being any other than Rey...
KR: You have a big problem...you are addicted to Rey...you are Rey-aholic...
And what of it?! You are Vader addicted!
KR: That's cooler! And maybe, just maybe, that's the one and the same...
Huh?
KR: I can only be addicted to Vader, ergo Rey is Vader.
I can't believe what I'm hearing!
"OWIE!"
His uncle latched on his ear and pulled him with him. "Ben, I'm really too tired to argue anymore. She has only been in your dreams, so she is not real...or well not unless she shows up in the flesh..."
"She's real!" shouted Ben and tried to pry his uncle's ear from his ear. "Let go of me!"
"Oh, yeah, then what is her name?" Luke shot him a piercing look, without easing the pressure on his earlope.
"Erm..." Ben looked down in deep thought.
"She doesn't have a name?" scoffed Luke.
"Of course she does! I will make one up!" yelled Ben red in face over that remark and that fact that his uncle was dragging him along in that undignified manner, like he couldn't walk himself.
"Make one up...that means she doesn't exist." His uncle chuckled like he had sprung a trap on Ben.
KR: A very good point...
What the kriff! Rey is real! And she is not Vader!
KR: Who said it was Rey...?
You did...it has to be her! I can't have dreamt about anyone else!
KR: So she isn't real...?
WHAT? Of course she is! And let go of my ear, stupid uncle!
KR: I thought you wanted him to punish you...
What, no! I don't want to be punished. Just..some..small attention...
KR: What about Rey...punishing you...?
Well...erm...that's different...
KR: Such an idiot...
Wouldn't you want Vader to punish you?
KR: Why would I want that? He's always nice to me, always!
Really?
KR. I got enough punishment from the supreme leader...thank you very much...and they sucked...
Oh...sorry to hear that...
KR: Grandpappy is the best. I miss him so much...
I miss Rey...and my family...and even stupid Poe, Finn and BB-8...
KR: This isn't a contest, you know...
"NO! I meant that I will make one up, until...I know her real name, stupid..." Ben glared at Luke.
"Uhu..." said his uncle in a disbelieving voice, as he dragged him on his ear into his room.
KR: You made her up.
I did not make her up...I mean...I just didn't know her name back then...that's why I didn't remember Rey...until I met her in real life...
KR: Hmm...or maybe this wasn't Rey...?
That's impossible!
KR: Then how come you didn't remember her...?
I don't know...I don't know anything...
KR. While I know everything...about her...
Yeah, right...
"We touched hands and saw each other past and...and future..." muttered Ben, as if that would somehow convince his uncle of the girl existence.
"Sounds like a dream to me." Luke let go of his ear, turned on the light with the force and lifted him into bed.
"It was...no, I mean...it still felt so real..." Ben smiled as if it was the most awesome dream ever.
His uncle tucked him in. "That can sometimes happen. Good night." He kissed his forehead and was about to turn off the light.
"But you did try to kill me..." said Ben before Luke could turn it off.
Luke stopped in the doorway. He turned around with a haunted look. "Sadly, yes...that was no dream...or nightmare...can you...ever forgive me?" He looked at Ben with a pleading look.
Ben crossed his arms over the comforter and huffed. "You know, you are nothing special. Beex also tried to kill me."
KR: Oh, you were just talking about that...similar thing happening in the past...
Just? It was horrible!
KR: Don't be such a baby.
I was a baby at that time!
KR: And still are...
"What, when?" His uncle's eyes grew wide as saucers.
"When I was two," pouted Ben.
"Oh...that's horrible..." Luke's voice trailed off.
Ben shot up in bed. "You don't believe me..."
"What did you do?" His uncle looked at him sternly.
"What did I DO? I was two years old!"
"You must have done something...did you tinker with him?" His uncle tisked, as if he was sure it was the answer.
"NO! There was some kind of virus that turned every robot into a killer robot! And I was home alone! I think..." Ben rubbed his head as he tried to remember that event.
"Oh...and you want to go home where there is no one...and no one can protect you..." Luke pursed his lips.
"You didn't protect me back then, you were just off somewhere like always," spat Ben.
"Hey, I'm here for you now." Luke smiled sadly at him.
"And tried to kill me."
"Ben..." said his uncle softly.
"I could go to unca Wanwo. He's my cool uncle. He wears a cape...and he has never tried to murder me." Ben nodded content to himself when he came up with that great idea.
KR: He still could...
Hey, unca Wanwo would never hurt me!
KR: Are you sure...?
Yeah, he has even tried to go the betrayal route, it was his fault that dad was put in carbonite and dad forgave him! Maybe I should try to find uncle Lando...I still have his number...
KR: He could even be your real father...
Oh, come on, enough of that! My mom is not that easy!
KR: But would you hate that...?
I wouldn't hate that...but I still like to keep my original dad, thanks.
KR: I would prefer Vader.
That's not possible...in any way, shape or form...
KR: One can dream...
"I know everything about Lando and you know as well as me, that he is just as busy as your father if not more...what do you mean, I'm not cool?" Luke gaped as if it was some great revelation and held his heart for a more dramatic effect.
"No, he's supercool and superfun...he would never lock me up in an academy..." sneered Ben.
"Lock you up, hey..." said Luke hurt.
"Instead we would go on a adventure together and he would teach me how to pick up girls...I mean the girl." Ben smiled as he imagined that awesome scenario.
"The girl...? The one you dreamt about or the chosen one? The one without a name...?" asked Luke.
"She's the one and the same, idiot," said Ben.
Luke shrugged and said in a hurt voice. "Oh...well, then too bad your cool uncle so busy...and you are stuck here with me..."
"Yeah...or maybe I should contact unca Chewie...and life with him on Kashyyyk. Me and Waroo are good friends. I would take...the girl with me." Ben muttered the last part like it was something sacred to him and looked into the ceiling like he could see her there.
"You would go nuts with all that wookie growling."
"It's called Shyriiwook, you uncultured..." said Ben through clenched teeth and stared hatefully at his uncle, for ruining his daydream about the girl.
His uncle waved his hands in a peace offer. "Okay, okay, I will call him for you." He lifted up the com-link from his pocket.
"Really?" Ben raised his eyebrows high and sat up on the edge of the bed.
"No," depanned Luke and pocket the com-link. "Not until you admit that I'm cool as well," He smirked.
"You are not cool!" shouted Ben like it was some insult to all the cool people to call him that.
"Come on..." pleaded Luke. His blue eyes showed mock desperation.
"You are not even wearing a cape!" Ben pointed at the dirty, boring, whitish robe his uncle wore.
"I have to wear a cape to be cool?" asked his uncle in a mock stunned manner.
"Yeah," said Ben like it was common knowledge.
KR: Or a cowl.
Cape is cooler.
KR: Can't argue with that...just like Vader had!
His cape was cool...
KR: The coolest...
"I can get a cape..." said Luke, who had trouble keeping the laughter over the silly argument.
"You wouldn't be cool, even with the coolest cape in galaxy."
KR: I'm saving for the coolest cape in the galaxy.
Oh...of course...
KR: You don't believe me?
Not really...
"Hey..." said Luke in a warning tone, since that one was too far.
"And you even have snot on your shoulder." Ben pointed at a slimy white stuff on his robe.
"From you."
"Because you tried to kill me."
Luke groaned and rubbed his forehead. "You are seriously never going to let that go..."
"No. That's why you can never be my cool uncle..." Ben crossed his arms.
"Oh no...that's horrible..." said his uncle. "But, I'm still sorry for the near killing..."
Ben cut him off. "You will always be more like my dad, if he was stricter...and knew how to raise and treat a kid...and not leave them behind on boring islands...oh wait...then you would fail instantly..." Ben smirked.
"I didn't leave you behind anywhere and don't mind being your other father. But, that's no way to speak about your real father...I didn't even have a father...a real father...?" Luke suddenly looked far away.
"And you tried to kill me," pointed Ben out like the hundredth time.
"That's, father's stuff," said Luke carelessly, who covered his mouth a bit too late, when he realized what he had just said.
Ben was taken aback by that comeback. "Huh...so because dad hasn't tried that...he's not my real father?"
"Erm...that was not what I meant." Luke started to sweat.
"What then...?"
KR: That's not a father's thing, only a Vader's thing...and he really just chopped off his hand, no biggie...
What a shitty role model.
KR: HEY!
"I meant like Beex did," corrected Luke.
"He's not my father." Ben narrowed his eyes, as he knew Luke was hiding something from him as always.
"I know that..." muttered Luke, who suddenly found the plaster on the wall the most fascinating thing in the galaxy.
"But he taught me how to cook."
His uncle turned to him with a sad smile. "That was nice of him." He scraped at the wall with his finger, making little white chips fall of it.
"And unless you are robot you have no excuse...for nearly murdering me."
"It was an accident!" shouted Luke.
"That's no excuse!"
"I just want to protect you."
"You are the only danger!"
"NO! I'm not your enemy, Ben. You are in danger because you are the chosen one! This is the only place where you can be safe. Trust me." Luke's eyes showed real desperation now.
Ben jumped off the bed with a purpose and started to pack his things on his desk. "Well, I don't want to be the chosen one, meaning I will be out of danger. I know about another chosen one...which I will protect with all my life...she will have two protectors instead of one...so, can I go home now? Or to a different home?"
His uncle pulled back into bed as he lectured him. "You don't get to chose that!"
"I didn't ask to be the chosen one! It sucks! And come on, the new chosen one is way better than me!" Ben struggled against his uncle's hold, as if getting away from him would help him escape his destiny.
"It doesn't work that way. You are the chosen one...you don't get to choose to be the chosen one! And it doesn't have to suck...it can be fun..." Luke looked around the dark room as if he was searching for something to help his point. He sighed when he knew exactly what it was. "You will get your own lightsaber."
"I want a lightsaber..." said Ben and calmed down a little bit.
His uncle smiled when at last he got through to him. "I know you do."
Ben sat up in the bed and pleaded:"Can't I just get a lightsaber anyway? I don't care about this chosen one thing...even though dad hasn't come here yet, he can still come and get me right? And replace me with the new...and more adorable chosen one."
"No."
"Why not?" Ben pouted that even that awesome offer hadn't worked to get him home.
Yeah? Even though dad hasn't come, he still could...make up for that by coming now...right?
KR: So pathetic...
Why couldn't he at least pick up Rey?
KR: Are you sure she was even born back then...?
What?
"This is your new home and the sooner you get used to the fact, the easier everything will be. I promise," whispered his uncle and stroked his hair soothingly.
"I...will try..." muttered Ben sadly, as he leaned into the affection by resting on his shoulder.
"Do or do not, there is no try," lectured his uncle as he kept mussing his hair.
"Yes, master...I'm just so homesick..." yawned Ben, who finally found the exhaustion get to him.
"You poor thing, you will get home eventually. I promise. I promise...my son." Luke hugged him and kissed his hair.
Seriously, stop calling me son! It's freaking me out!
KR: You are always the same whiner. Nothing has changed...
You and Luke are was always keeping me from getting back home...
KR: What?! How dare you pair me with the Jedi scum?!
You can't deny that there are certain similarities...
KR: You take that back! I'm telling grandfather!
He would probably like that.
KR: Argh! You are so right! He wants me to like Luke...but I just can't! No matter how powerful I become, grandfather just can't stop admiring..that stupid Jedi...
You poor thing...can I go back now? I'm getting bored...and I miss Rey...greatly...clearly I'm not going to get any straight answers about her...so can we go home now?
KR: No. You lost that privilege a long time ago...
Privilege? Come on, this isn't funny!
KR: I'm not laughing...and truth be told I have no idea how to return...
What!? You are lying?!
KR: Perhaps...if you behave I might let you go...
You are such a jerk...
"But, when can I go home...?" asked Ben and pointed at a calendar on the wall, since he wanted his uncle to mark down the exact day and time.
"You can leave the minute the darkness is completely gone from you. When that happens, I will give your father a call...I mean your mother, and she will let him know where you are. He doesn't even know where you are now...this is a very secret place you know, not anyone can just come here...people need a map and such to even find this place," said his uncle as if he was proud of the fact, that his school was in the middle of nowhere. "So your father can't just show up here unannounced."
Ben lifted his head up with a frown. "I never said he did...meaning you are lying! He did come here!" He punched him on the chest.
His uncle owed and rubbed his chest. "No, you have just told me plenty of dreams, where he showed up out of nowhere...to rescue you, even though there is no reason for him to do that. In fact, this is the only place where you are safe."
"I have never told you any of those things...safe? Are you kidding? You tried to kill me!" exclaimed Ben.
Luke sighed. "I don't know how many time I have to say you that I'm sorry for that. It will never happen again, so there is no reason for your father to come and rescue you. In fact, he can't since he doesn't even know where you are. It's top secret, not even your mom knows of our location." He whispered the last part like it was some great surprise.
Ben's eyes widened as he took in the new information. "Does that mean that dad doesn't even know where I am...right now...?"
Luke nodded. "He thinks you are asleep in your bed, which you are not. I'm exhausted as well, so I'm going to bed. Good night." He ruffled his hair and stood up, certain that their battle is over, at least for the night.
"Can I call dad...not to to bring me home, just to talk about the important stuff...about the girl?" pleaded Ben to get some middle ground.
His uncle furrowed his brows in confusion. "What girl?" His look was like someone who had lost an important page in a script. "The chosen one or your dream girl?"
Like my father would've liked me to disrupt him like that...always too busy for me...please tell me that girl is Rey...? Both of them! All of them!
KR: He still is too busy...do you honestly want every girl to be Rey...?
Kind of...she's the only girl I have ever been interested in...but dad has hardly left my side since I came back...
KR: That's just because he is guarding you...
Guarding me...?
KR: You are too dangerous to be left alone...
I'm not alone, I have Rey.
KR: I didn't mean it like that, you fool!
"She is the one and the same," muttered Ben, as she was something holy to him.
Luke knits his brows. "Is that the important stuff...why would your father be interested in that...?" His uncle looked deep in thought, as if he was picturing Han suddenly being interested in force stuff, until it dawned on him. "Oh...are you looking for girl advice?"
KR: Yeah, right from him?
Hey, he got mom...eventually...
KR: I call that luck, if Luke wasn't her brother you know she would...or did she...?
UGH! SHUT UP! And mom and dad were together before she even found out!
KR: Are you sure...a lot could've happened while your dad was frozen...
STOP!
KR: Maybe you are in fact, Luke's...have thought about that...? Or Lando's? Or Chewie's...?
I'm going to hit you!
KR: Good luck with that...
"No...he can save her," said Ben with certainty.
"Save...? From what? Not sure how...it might even be too late for that...and I thought she was fiction..." Luke scratched his head, like they were back at square one in a game he didn't knew he had been playing.
"She's real!" shouted Ben over the sacrilege. "She's my everything, stupid!" He kicked his feet under the comforter.
Luke frowned at him. "I know what your game is. You would never call just to chat...not even about how to get girls...beside you can't do that, don't forget the Jedi code. Don't think you can fool me so easily."
"How about tomorrow then...?"
"The time doesn't matter as I don't know how to contact your father...except through your mother and you are never allowed to get a girlfriend. Go to sleep now...before I kill you for real..." His uncle blinked him teasingly.
Ben looked outraged, as the door closed behind Luke.
Why the kriff doesn't he want me to contact dad?
KR: Because he knows, you will only get disappointed...as always...
And screw you Luke, I can get every girl I want!
KR: I thought you wanted just Rey...
She is my everything...every girl I mean...
KR: Why do I even bother...?
Next up: Dreams of another life...
