"After she had gone to bed, and put out the light, a man came and laid himself alongside her. It was the white bear, who cast off his pelt at night; but she never saw him, for he always came after she had put out the light."
"What are you doing here, scavenger?! How did you manage to come in?" he said, his rage crashing into her mind with an intensity she had never felt.
"You know how she got in. You let her," the bear growled, positioning himself between her and the raging man. "The bond you're trying so hard to deny is still here, whether you want it or not."
"I don't have to listen to a shadow, especially one who was not supposed to be out of his cage." He raised his hand, and the bear was picked up from the floor and thrown inside the castle. Before either could do anything, the doors closed with a thud.
"No!" Rey screamed, and tried to open the doors, but they didn't budge.
"It's useless. You're inside my mind. You don't have any power in here." She looked back and turned around, guarding herself. She may be in his mind, but the chances of them fighting were still high.
His new scar was covering part of his face. He no longer used his long vestments, opting for a black shirt and pants. He seemed disheveled, his face almost a replica of the way he was after the interrogation, surprised and afraid.
"I came here unconsciously, but decided to stay." She tried to not let her voice waver. "Your counterpart was trying to help me with the bond. I was looking for answers; he was willing to give them to me."
"Why did you come to us? As far as I know, Luke Skywalker is training you." He almost spat the name, but still chose to not move from where he was. "He is your master, ask him."
"This has nothing to do with him, and you know it. We are connected, this is our problem." She was slowly crossing the distance between them and he seemed much more wary than a person who claimed to be in perfect control of the situation.
"I have nothing to say to you. You refused everything that I offered. If you haven't changed your mind, than we have nothing to talk about." She couldn't believe him, because his feelings were telling her otherwise. Now close to him again, she could feel it-the bond joining them together, more powerful than with the bear.
"You are afraid," she said, whispering to him. "You are afraid of this connection, of what it can do to you, to us."
She felt more than saw his fists clenching, his eyes unable to meet hers, now that she was so close to him, just a foot apart.
"Why are you ignoring me? Is it because of the Light?" He snapped his eyes back at her, and his presence almost faltered.
"Why don't you just go away? Are you not supposed to stay as far from me as you can? I'm a monster, remember?!" He said in a loud voice that almost made her jump. "I killed Han Solo and I almost killed you!"
He was breathing hard, towering over her and yet she wasn't afraid. Deep down she knew. Here, in this place, he wouldn't hurt her. No, he never had the intention to hurt her, even when they first met.
"Recently, someone said I should keep my mind open. I see now why he said that." She looked up at his eyes, not faltering for a moment. "You can lock yourself in this prison and never come out if that's your wish. But, if there's a part of you that is not afraid to let me in, that is as connected to me as I am to you, than I'm going try to do my best to help. I promised this to your other part, I'm promising now to you as well. Think about it and call to me when you decide."
She could feel his doubt, but she meant every word. The bear was still there. If she could bring him out again, she was sure something good will happen. Their bond almost hummed with agreement. Somehow, she could also feel that her time is running out.
"Goodbye, Ben," she said and his eyes widened. He moved to reach out, but the world was fading and she fell into nothingness.
When her eyes opened again, she stared at the ceiling of the hut that was her home now on Ahch-To. Sitting and passing her hand through her hair, Rey tried to center herself. She crossed her legs, closed her eyes and tried to meditate like Master Luke told her, to concentrate in peace and silence, letting the Force soothe every emotion.
After a few moments, her feelings were better reined in and she was finally able to give some order to her thoughts. What happened back there? The bear was locked away and a castle appeared, along with a very disturbed Kylo Ren. She was certain that they talked. The dream was not just a product of her imagination, but a way for them to communicate with each other. How she ended up in his mind was another problem entirely, not knowing if it was her power that broke in or if he had invited her mind to enter, like the bear had said. She sighed and opened her eyes.
The sun cast its light through the little holes in the hut, with an ocean breeze coming to her regardless of the cloth she hung at the entrance, giving her new home a relaxing mood, something she definitely craved. Her training always started early so she needed to hurry up, leaving her makeshift bed and picking her clothes, thoughts of the dream cast aside to deal with later. Her mind should be as relaxed as possible; a lesson learned the hard way during her first meditation.
As she exited her new home, after grabbing her staff, her trek began. Her Master enjoyed giving lectures at the top of a cliff, saying that the Jedi Temple around it made for a perfect spot to channel the Force. Honestly, she didn't mind, her scavenging side already used to such a thing. Besides, it offered a great view of the ruins, which she was anxious to explore. Her own hut was a detached part of the great temple, its round form full of words inside she couldn't decipher. But Luke never allowed it, saying that the temple was dangerous for untrained minds; ghosts from the past still resided in the old place. She wasn't scared despite that, having already faced a difficult mind.
"Is there something bothering you, Rey?" She looked up and saw Master Luke already in his crossed legs position, facing the ocean, eyes closed.
"How did you know I was here?" she asked with a playful tone. It was not the first time he had been aware of her presence.
"Your Force signature is strong, even in a place like this. Besides, hearing someone as they step close to you is a survival skill one has to learn. Not very useful in the desert, but an important asset if you're alone in a dense forest," he said, with a voice that radiated wisdom.
Because of his peaceful presence and elderly face, Rey sometimes forgot that Luke Skywalker was a great warrior and probably knew how to fight in any environment, unconcerned about the odds. He did defeat the Empire, after all.
He sighed and stood faster than a man his age should. "It may not be my business, but this morning your mind was in turmoil. If you need to talk about it, I'm here. I know how the Force can affect a person, especially in the presence of painful memories."
He turned and Rey could see the worry in his eyes. She still had to get used to people caring about her well-being but, for reasons she couldn't grasp, this man had managed to make her feel safe, in a way that mirrored General Leia.
"Don't worry, it's just that I have to get used to the intensity of the dreams." She put her arms around herself, offering just part of the truth, "Sometimes they are…overwhelming."
He walked to where she was standing and put a hand on her shoulder in a comforting manner. "Trust me, I know. Not only from my own experience, but my younger apprentices also suffered the same pain." At that, Rey could feel his sadness. This man probably would never recover from what happened to his academy, even though the galaxy needed him. "If you try to meditate before sleep and build up stronger defenses, it will help your sleep, but it won't be a cure. The dreams will still come, but their effects will lessen."
She couldn't help but feel déjà vu at his words. Someone told her the same thing not so long ago. And then it hit her. The bear. He said that to her as a way to stop their connection from happening in her dreams, a way to block him out. It shouldn't, but the fact surprised her. He was advising her to use the same methods his uncle once taught him. And perhaps, Master Luke wasn't just talking about his apprentices long gone.
"If you wish, I could show you how. It's not so different from meditating," he said, bringing her back to the moment. He sat again, ready for a lesson.
"Yes, I would like that," she said, sitting as well and placing her staff beside her. Learning this technique would help her, but Rey had yet to decide if she would use it. After all, helping Kylo was a task for which she was not sure either of them was prepared, but letting him fall deeper into the darkness wasn't an option.
Later, they both make the trip back to their settlement. After a much deserved breakfast at the temple kitchen, one of the few places which Luke has managed to reconstruct, they parted ways. Her Master recommended that she explore the planet after their morning sessions, a way to connect her to the Force and to add experience, since all planets are different in a way or another, and she must be prepared for any environment if she planned to fight in the war.
Rey took the advice to heart, exploring the forests and cliffs with great curiosity. The sea is something at which she marveled, even though she was not able to swim. After living in the desert her whole life, seeing that much water was a sight she wouldn't forget. Using her staff as a way to stabilize herself in the rocky mountains full of trees, her mind couldn't help but remember the dream. She couldn't ignore it forever. Taking deep breaths, she chose to confront it while climbing, her mind always a better judge while doing something simple and almost instinctive.
First, she needed to understand what happened back there. It seemed Kylo had split his mind into two; the bear the hidden part, which she was starting to believe was everything related to Ben. Apparently, he was trying to bury this half deep into his mind, so that he could ignore his feelings and become a ruthless monster. But, bear Kylo was trying to fight back. Second, he didn't know what to do, probably the reason why he started his revenge against his family. And third, they were bonded. She guessed that their mental fight in the interrogation room had something to do with it; a Force pull that allowed her to dream with him, even when there were galaxies between them.
But how far could this bond go? Could she bring him back to the Light? Or at least stop him from murdering people? Asking his relatives for help may not be a great idea, and she wouldn't lead her friends into this mess. Anything she decides to do will be at her own risk.
Her climbing lead her to a clearing with some old ruins and a river passing through, leading straight to the sea. A quiet place with a strong Force influence. Luke had said she would find places like this next to the mountains and suggested for her to meditate in them. A way to clear the mind, he advised. Honestly, she was tired of this and would have preferred a more fighting related training. Anyway, she chose a rock that seemed comfortable enough, adjusted herself to the crossed legs position facing the ocean, and closed her eyes.
But this time, instead of disregarding her emotions and trying to find peace, she took a new route. Searching inside of her mind, Rey searched for the vibrant thread that connected her to Kylo. In the dream, when they faced each other, it pulsated and almost yanked them. Now, in a more controlled state, it was just warm. She held the string with all her might and tries to focus on the Force. And before she knew it, there was someone with her, inside her mind but not quite an invasion. Almost like a presence, a floating cloud in her conscience.
"Hello, scavenger."