Chapter 22 Talon
(Fanfir Note: Sorry for the late update peoples. I've been sick lately and when I'm sick I can't concentrate at all so that means I can't write. I've actually had this chapter sitting on my computer for a while now but I just never got to editing it until now... hehehehe... anyways just to let you know, no matter how long it takes for me to update I'm never abandoning this story... If I do take long which I have sometimes that just means that there are complications... hehehehehe... anyways today is my birthday so everyone wish me a happy birthday okay!... well, you don't have to if you don't wanna but it would be appreciated... hehehehehe... and also know that if I add an oc in the story this fanfic is always going to be about Luke cause he's the main character and I know some readers hate oc's so if you hate them... I don't know... do what you want I guess... and also there hasn't been that much humor in the story lately mostly because the situation doesn't call for it. cause as you know there is a time and place for everything but know this: there will be humor in the future so stay tuned but just not now because the story got a little dark in places...hehehehe... now that's all I have to say... I think... hehehehehehe... bye bye... enjoy the chapter... don't forget to wish me a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! )
PAST REMINISCENCES TALON POV
Once upon a time there was an animal.
A very peculiar animal, unlike anything the world had ever seen.
Born on the planet Somina:
"I hail from the planet Somina, do you believe me?"…
He was special.
Unique in everyone's own special way, as that's how the world is, or how it's supposed to be or how we think it and ourselves to be.
"When will he learn that stars are just stars, no need to look up at them. You won't find anything there" they said.
His big red apple eyes just stared at them, then looked up to the stars once more. Seven stars stood out among all others. Effulgent all on their own.
He gave a silent prayer to whatever god there was up there for a bright future.
He believed in the beauty of dreams.
He believed that to be brave one must let go.
He just knew that in what this so called future laid before us all would be a journey none could forget, would be the path he would follow.
But what he wanted was to know:
"What i seek from life is actually what most people seek in their subconscious minds. We seek the truth, of what the meaning of life really is, for why are we all thrown in such a world? It makes me afraid. Oh, so very afraid. I don't think I'm strong enough to make it through this life but what is strength if we cannot learn to be strong and endure. Resilient to these hardships that come upon us just as we are…" he spoke.
And that was the start of his spiritual journey, to lands unknown, to worlds unknown, to places that no one's ever seen.
With these big beautiful white wings he finally flew.
Finally free.
He was Talon, the Terror Bird.
PRESENT TALON POV
But how had it come to be this way.
He tried not to close his eyes too often. For one day he just knew he would never wake up.
LUKE POV
He immediately rushed to help the injured creature, whatever it was. It was unlike anything he had ever seen, as white as the snow that graced Hoth's surface.
The creature was held up by metal restraints that came out from the floor and ceiling and wrapped around its legs, neck, midriff, and wings. A couple tubes were poking into its body. Gently, with the use of the force, he carried and pulled each and every tube out. Then he ripped away any wires attached to the creature. Glancing around he searched for a way to free it of its metal restraints as he was reluctant to use his powers to bend the metal since they were already waning from all the recent activity.
Around the white room were machines attached to the outer walls just like in the previous room. He had no idea what they did, but he didn't want to find out at all. He rushed over to a panel decorated with lots of shiny buttons that lit up and flickered. At the very top of the panel was a big red button with a clear lid over it.
DO NO PUSH it read.
He immediately frowned at that.
His instincts screamed at him to push the big red button that sat so temptingly upon the panel.
Ya know, when someone tells someone else not to do something they always do it anyways, don't they? He thought as he flipped open the lid and pushed the big button.
Red lights blared in the room going off and on repeatedly, startling him, and then they stopped. The restraints holding the creature let go and pulled back into the ceiling and floor, leaving the creature lying on a grey metal platform.
Racing over to its side he was now able to get a much better look at it.
The creature was pretty big. No, actually it's huge. He estimated that if it stood to its complete height he would only come up to its lower breast area. He estimated it was about five to six meters high at most. The creature was also long. Very long. Like as long as an airbus which is usually about ten meters long. But most of the length was added by the long tail that ended in long white tail feathers that splayed out like a fan. The bird like creature was covered in white feathers all over its body that varied in length on different areas of its figure. It had massive white wings that ended in two fingered claws. And when the wings extended they would be magnificent to behold. It had strong muscular feathered hind legs that ended in a clawed foot. Its claws were pearly white and razor sharp. Past it's very fluffy chest and up its curved neck and past the big head was something that made him very nervous. A light yellow merengue colored curved jagged beak that looked as if it could rip and tear apart flesh and bone alike. The creature lay there so very still on the grey platform. The white feathers that covered its whole body were stained, ruffled, and tousled in places, especially where the tubes had gone in its body. There were knots in its plumage, as if it hadn't been taken care of in a while. It also looked as if it had been starved. Upon closer inspection the creature's lidded eyes were drooped closed in exhaustion. Its breath was even. Funnily enough though there were three white feathers sticking up awkwardly on its large head.
He bent down next to its head to get better look at the creature lying upon the floor.
He was sure that it was knocked out cold.
Tentatively, he stretched out a hand, not his robotic hand but his real one of flesh and blood. He wasn't quite sure what he was going to do but when a person just comes across stuff like this. Stuff that looks so soft, so fuzzy, so feathery, and so fluffy it's kind of irresistible. One cannot help but touch.
"What are you" he whispered aloud in wonder, kneeling down.
Fingertips about to come up to pat down the feathers sticking up awkwardly on its large head when he heard it.
Someone spoke.
"Talon," a voice sounded out in his mind.
He immediately whipped his kneeling body around.
But there was no one.
The voice had seemed to come from behind him… but at the same time it came from everywhere? It was a soft spoken sound, almost quiet he could say, but at the same time it wasn't. This doesn't make any sense? No one was behind him or around him from what he could see.
He turned back to the creature.
It was watching him as clear as day was a single big red apple eye.
A startled yelp escaped his lips. Immediately stumbling back his body scrambled across the floor seemingly of its own will.
The red apple eye observed him all the way, seeming to just stare straight into his heart. Unlocking all his fears, all his doubts, all his weaknesses, and all his nightmares. He had never felt so exposed! With this red apple eye seeing him he himself was lay bare for judgment, or so it seemed. That secretly terrified him. But that opinion too probably wasn't so secret anymore under a gaze that wasn't intense through harmful means but intent in its inexplicable and unfathomable purpose of wanting to understand.
Adrenaline coursed through his veins. His mind told him to take flight. To run and get out of there but a more deeper part of his being, a more emotional part, his heart, told him that it was okay. This creature means no harm. You just startled yourself, that was all!
The red apple eye was almost hypnotic in a way. His own reflection reflected in the black round pupil at the center of the fascinating color that was so unlike the harsh crimson blade of Sidious's lightsaber or the dark blood red of one's bodily fluids that kept someone alive. It was different, somehow, more alive in any way than any other form of this color could ever represent!
"I didn't mean to frighten you," the voice spoke again in soft tones that strangely made him feel at ease. The red eye never once blinked.
Chest heaving slightly he calmed.
"What are you?" he asked once again, whispering.
The red eye stared at him for a moment longer, unblinking in its intense but harmless red apple eyed gaze.
"I'm Talon the Terror Bird."
He embarrassingly blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "A what?!" he asked, still keeping his distance.
"My name is Talon and I am a Terror bird. Descendent of the Claw bird and the War bird," the voice spoke patiently.
"Oh..." What in the world is he talking about?
He hesitantly made his way over to Talon. Curiosity piqued as he was now more in wonder of the creature than afraid. Not that I shouldn't have been afraid in the first place. He was sure that Talon was the force anomaly he had been seeking and the reason he even dared to enter the LiMerge building in the first place. Talon needs me.
He reached out a hand.
Talon's red apple eye never blinked and followed the movement.
Ever so carefully he laid his hand atop Talon's large head and smoothed down the three feathers that had been sticking up awkwardly.
Talon just watched him with a gaze, now staring past him.
PAST REMINISCENCES PART 1 TALON POV
"You're leaving" her voice stated.
"Yes, there's nothing left for me here," he spoke, stepping closer to the cliff edge to get a better view. A more perfect view.
"W-why?" He could hear her suppress a sniffle.
A pang sounded off in his heart for her and for her grief the he was causing.
"I cannot stay any longer in this world. My destiny lies beyond. Somewhere else deep in the stars," while speaking he looked up to the night sky, a deep longing appearing in his red apple eyes, "You should know that by now. We've both felt it."
"Oh Talon," he heard her walk up to him through the brush. Her soft hand stroked his feathers, patting down the three sticking up awkwardly on his head. Nestling her face into the downy plumage of his neck she let out a deep sigh.
In the distance they could both see Mount Tantiss, illuminated by the moon.
LUKE POV
"Talon?"
Talon's gaze seemed to snap back to his face from as if out of a trance.
"We need to get outta here." He didn't like this place one bit. Actually he hated staying this place any longer than necessary. At what it caused and at what it made him do. And with Dooku still lurking about we don't have much time. He couldn't suppress the constant shaking of his hands from out of nervousness, fear, or anxiety he didn't know. Maybe it was a combination of the three. But an emotion that he felt besides those three was relief. Relief that he had finally got Talon out of those scientists grasps. But even then we are not free!
"Talon we need to get out of here," he stressed. "Can you, uh, stand or something because I don't think in a million years I'd be able to carry you," he slightly chucked taking in the length and width of Talons huge form once more compared to his freakishly small stature.
Talon just stared at him with a red apple eye.
The moment stretched. And as more time lapsed the more afraid he got.
Finally Talon moved to stand, claws scraping against the harsh metal floor, so he immediately stepped away. Then right before his eyes and to his growing horror the terror bird collapsed back to the ground with a loud thud , clearly exhausted and red eyes clouded with pain, white feathers fell and fluttered to the ground around them.
He rushed back over to the injured creature.
"Talon," he practically pleaded, attempting to push Talon off the ground but the bird wouldn't budge, "you need to get up so we can get outta here."
The Terror bird just let out a hollow groan and tried to stand once more, only to slip back down again, panting in exhaustion.
Now he was starting to really panic.
"Oh shite" he said to himself. What are we going to do? If he can't get up then how are we going to get outta here? Then this whole journey will be for nothing and I'm going to get caught by Sidious and Talon will go back to being experimented on and both of us will probably die a very slow and painful death and I won't be able to do anything about it and I'll lose both my parents and all of this is just going to go to Sith Hell!
"Luke," Talon's voice whispered in his mind, "just let me rest for a while. My strength will come back in time."
"But how soon. We need to leave now! Come on get up!" he urged having a sudden feeling of unease as he kept on trying to push Talon up. It alarmed him that Talon's voice had sounded so weak all of the sudden. This isn't good. We have to leave now. He himself was starting to feel weaker as well and his body had begun to ache all over again. No, no, no, no no no nono no nonono nonnono… Now he was starting to really panic.
"Luke."
He immediately stopped what he was doing.
Talon's whole head had moved to stare at him with both its two red apple eyes.
"Be calm Luke." A warm and comforting presence encompassed him. Talon's presence. "Everything will be fine. Just let me rest for a while," the Terror bird soothed.
Their eyes met. Opposing colors coming across one another.
Ever so slowly he slumped against Talon's fluffy marred body, never breaking eye contact with those red apple eyes. As with this connection he felt.
The way the terror bird looked at him, it just pulled to him. The way the presence surrounded him, it just calmed him. It was strangely wonderful in a way. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. He felt at ease and alleviated of these feelings. The bad feelings. The ones of pain and grief and distress and worry he had felt over the past couple of days. This creature, Talon, was so connected with the light side of the force that it felt beautiful to just stand in his presence. He felt he could just bask in this glorious light forever and ever and just forget himself in it and forget who he was and forget what he was doing. It was the inexpressible comfort and the feeling of being safe. A feeling he wasn't that used to. Having neither heavy thoughts weighed down on his mind nor confusable words, but what poured out to him from Talon could not be expressed in speech or writing. It was something that had to do with two individuals connecting not by body or mind in any way but by heart on a more spiritual level.
Then it was slowly removed. The presence left him with a warm tingling sensation.
He finally realized that he had closed his eyes during the odd exchange. For how long he didn't know.
When he opened them he saw talon's red apple eyes had drooped closed once more and shut in deep sleep.
He let out a sigh. What am I going to do now? It was clear that Talon needed his rest but he was starting to get anxious again as he looked around the room with nothing in particular to do. Having nothing to do is one of the worst possible things.
Then he heard it.
Something small.
Like a tremor through the force from the previous room he had been in, the room in which he had taken care of the mad scientists and droids.
He stared in the direction of the room down the big massive hallway he had gone through to get to Talon. The hallway in which he had twisted down those doors to get to Talon.
Decision made he shakily got to his feet.
Glancing once more at Talon, the one who he was reluctant to leave, he went to check it out because, at the moment, the really had nothing better to do.
He went back down the hallway that he had come in from, his footsteps seemingly to be exceptionally loud as each and every step echoed in the hollow hall. It made him very uneasy and uncomfortable. Unlike the atmosphere he had with Talon in the other room, the connection he had had with Talon in the other room, he felt so unsure as he stumbled through the twisted doorway in which he forcibly forced those tall metal doors open with the force and sloshed into the room. The cold water on the floor coming up to his ankles.
Coming into the room with square grey walls and white tiled floors he couldn't help but gape slightly at the destruction he had committed. Scorch marks and holes littered the wall, wires dangled about, holes ripped in the ceiling, water still sprayed constantly from burst pipes, bright white ceiling lights flickering and died with sparks, and water formed in big puddles on the floor. It made him scared that he could do something like this. But after his blue eyes took a whiff of the bodies he started to feel unusually sick to his stomach and a bit more than terrified at what he had done.
His cloak was already slightly wet but now it was getting soggy with the water spraying down on him, drenching his hair and making it cling wetly to the side of his face.
He walked toward the middle of the room. The outer edges of the room were slightly dark. The cameras on the walls hung limply. Dead for all they were worth. He wrapped the black cloak tighter around himself, attempting to seek comfort in the inanimate cloth. But it was not even close to what Talon had provided.
Suddenly he felt a prickly feeling on the back of his neck. The feeling of being watched. As when you know someone or something is looking right at you and burning holes in you with their deep brown eyes in the back of your neck you just know that someone is watching you. Seeing your every move. Stalking you. Whoever it was was elusive to him now hidden deep in the ever moving folds of the force. Shrouded in a veil. But they were in this room, that much he was certain of.
He slowly repeatedly turned his head glancing about and around the room to all the far corners and past all the torn up furniture and machinery.
But the one hiding was nowhere to be seen.
It made him angry.
Coward.
He brandished the red saber.
The lights above his head started to flicker and die bursting in a shower of sparks.
I that moment he whipped around, having the feeling of someone right behind him and found himself face to face directly in front of the one and only Count Dooku.
(Hydra Note: In the next chapter we'll obviously see more Dooku and Talons origins as well will possibly be explained in a few chapters... hehehehe... )
