Rey didn't know when she fell asleep in the night but when she next woke, the tropical birds were shouting their songs from the treetops and the sun was streaming down through the thick-frond trees overhead, warming patches of her body from beneath the blanket she had pulled over herself.
She slowly raised her head off her pillow and blearily blinked at her surroundings. However, some of the fatigue left her system when her eyes fell upon the empty bed a few feet away, blanket thrown back sloppily, the pillow rumpled and adjacent to a belt and the familiar cylinder of a lightsaber. A pair of brown boots laid on their sides near the foot of the mat, tossed aimlessly to the side a few feet away the night before.
There was also a peculiar amount of clothing dotting the ground around the mussed bedding.
It took a moment for the fogginess to clear from her mind but when it did, she felt her eyes widen. Her sudden concern was not from the obvious lack of a Jedi Knight in her bed or clothes but it was from what she'd witnessed.
The images and memories of what she had saw last night began to pour back into her mind, momentarily filling her entire string of consciousness.
Sage...
And Kylo Ren.
…Together? Content with one another? And, could she say... in... in love with one another?
She wasn't so sure but from what she'd witnessed, how Kylo - Ben - had held her so carefully and stared at her so endearingly. The hardness she had seen in his eyes upon their first face to face encounter had been nonexistent.
It sure seemed that way; their affections for one another, whether it had been admitted out loud or not.
And it was entirely unsettling to Rey for some reason.
Nevertheless, she raised herself up onto her hands and knees, her muscles quivering as she stretched the sleep from them. Her eyes roved around the clearing once more and her brow furrowed softly a moment before her face helplessly contorted into a yawn.
Her head bowed then in a semi-meditative state. Once settled, she allowed her eyes to briefly close so that she could reach out into the Force in hopes of finding the other woman. She could feel Sage's familiar presence nearby but it was quieter than normal, calmer.
However, there was a small ripple in the tranquility of her mind when she no doubt sensed her student's presence metaphorically turning its head in her direction.
Rey realized that she herself wanted to seek out this sense of peace that had seemingly devoured her Master's mind. She found that, perhaps, a morning mediation session could dispel the furrow in her brow and the worry of her mind.
Slowly, she rose to her feet, the blanket once covering her slipping down her shoulders and onto her bed mat.
With another yawn, she shook her head to further discard the burn of sleep from her eyes as she began to move forward, entirely dismissing her own boots so that she could pad along the jungle floor while raising a hand to rub tiredly across her face.
Sage was close, she knew that. She could feel that.
She allowed what she had always believed to be the natural pull in her gut, her instinctual feelings, now knowing that it was the Force, to lead her.
Bare feet quiet on the soft, forest floor, Rey felt her Master's presence strengthen as she came upon the babbling creek. They weren't camped near the falls so it was quiet, save for the murmurs of the jungle filling the void of silence in the background.
It was easy enough to spot the woman, her dark golden hair catching in the sunlight that filtered down from the burning star in the sky, the sun having risen to just barely peak over the tree line.
The river was rather narrow and shallow in her chosen spot, only rising to her navel as the slow-moving water lazily brushed against the woman partially submerged inside of it. Her hand were held limp before her, forearms resting on her hip bones as the fingertips on her opposing hands just barely touched beneath the surface. Her hair draped down freely over her back and was slightly stringy as if it had been freshly washed.
She wore only a gray binder and, from what Rey could see through the clear water, a pair of shorts. The rest of her body was left bare, revealing the soft, lightly tanned skin that was so usually hidden away.
Being sure to keep herself quiet and to not disturb her Master, Rey crept forward so that she could sit near the edge of the stream, her legs crossing themselves automatically as she placed her rear down.
For awhile, she just watched Sage as she silently meditated, how the slowly warming sunlight fell across the woman's peaceful face, the pool of her mind reflecting such quiet solace. In that moment, all Sage seemed to know was inner peace.
Deciding to sit quietly, Rey left the other woman alone both because she didn't want to be the source of what shattered this blissful release of Sage's mind... and because of what happened last night. What had happened the last time she tried to see into the Jedi's thoughts.
The information she'd learned, the memory she had seen... the entire situation was unsettling and caused the scavenger to frown softly. However... things were beginning to make, strangely enough, an immense amount of sense.
Ren's wanting to be as strong as Vader - his grandfather. The tireless search for Luke - his uncle. And therefore, by way of extension, her Master. The last Jedi Knight.
"How could you, Ben?"
What she had seen though, in the dream... He was so uncharacteristically aligned with the Light. With the Jedi. So...
What had caused him to fall?
Almost immediately, her brain was supplying itself with a proper and very possible explanation. Her eyes flickered once more to the woman across the way, taking a moment to further regard her while she entertained the possibility.
I'm always happy when I'm with you.
Rey wasn't sure why but she cringed internally, her face twisting up slightly as his words played through her head once more. She didn't know if it was the fact that Kylo Ren was the one saying the words... or if it was because it was an admission being spoken towards Sage.
"How did you sleep?"
Her stream of thoughts were shattered instantly as the aforementioned woman spoke softly, evidently fully aware of her Padawan's presence at her side; could no doubt feel how busy her mind was despite just waking minutes ago.
Swallowing nervously, the girl panicked for a brief second as she regarded her Master's emotions as well as confirm that her pre-existing wall of protection around her own mind was still in place. She'd somehow thrown it up frantically the previous night after baring witness to the dream, fearful that Sage would somehow register her emotions and thoughts even while she was asleep and wake to question her.
She felt her heart resume beating when she found that the defenses in her mind were still standing.
Blinking back to reality, she cleared her throat and then swallowed thickly, "Fine... Why?"
"The island; it's just different than what you're normally used to. That, and the night life on the island can be pretty active." She continued to face forward, eyes still closed as she basked in the sunlight. "At times, the Force feels stronger here at night... busier with the awakening of the nocturnal animals. I didn't know if you would have been able to sleep or not."
"I slept fine." Rey admitted once more, reassuring her further. And then she pursed her lips and raised one of her brows as she felt her curiosity get the best of her, "…How did you sleep?"
"To be honest, rather hard, actually. Like a baby." Even still, she remained unmoving in the water. "I sleep well out in the fresh air."
"Did you have any weird dreams... or anything?"
"I barely ever remember any of my dreams." The blonde explained, suddenly taking in a deep breath before she slowly released it through her mouth. Her hands, once resting on her hip bones, rose slightly on her inhale and lowered as she breathed out. "How about yourself?"
Rey frowned softly. Sage didn't remember… anything?
Feeling as though she were being deceived, the young Padawan reached out to touch gently at the Knight's mind and found that she was still remarkably calm, the low hum of the Force churning around her in the background of it all.
She wasn't lying, it seemed.
She hummed in thought before absentmindedly picking at her nails, "Nothing really." Her eyes rose from where they'd been focused on her hands so that she could gaze at the other woman's back. Taking this as an open opportunity, Rey rested an elbow on her knee and then rested her chin on her fist. "Do dreams mean anything... with the Force, I mean?"
"Typically, it doesn't mean anything. Dreams are just that; dreams. However, there are a few individuals who are... burdened... with the ability to receive Force-visions." The younger girl was listening intently, her hazel eyes still trained on her Master. "One is able to sometimes see across space during the present or even see the past. Mostly commonly Force-sensitives tend to see future events; can perceive them far before anyone else."
Rey continued to frown, her brow deepening as her own mind began to process the information, "You said... people who are... burdened... with visions?" She shook her head slightly in confusion. "Wouldn't it be useful? To be able to see what's coming?"
"Sometimes, yes and sometimes..." The Jedi sighed softly and her lips twitched softly before her eyes slowly fell open, the blues of her irises staring down into the flowing water before her. "Sometimes, it's a heavy weight to bare; at times, knowing the future and being unable to change the outcome. To have to watch something painful happen twice over. It can… haunt you."
Suddenly, the student was concerned and shifted so that she could peer around her head to see the woman's face. There seemed to be an emptiness in her gaze that was unnerving enough to the younger girl.
"You sound like you're speaking from personal experience? Master... Does this happen to you?"
"No, Rey." It was then that Sage looked over at her, her eyes focusing as if she were just then falling back into her body. "Neither Master Luke nor myself have regular Force-visions. We've had a couple, yes, between the two of us. I had one a few days before you arrived but..." She turned away and raised her gaze back up towards the sun slowly climbing higher in the sky. "I've known someone to have them nearly every night in their dreams." Raising a hand from where it barely brushed the water, she ran her fingers back through her hair and gently shook out her damp locks, revealing her bare back.
It was then that Rey saw it. Saw them. Both of them.
"Fear of the visions, of the nightmares, often kept them awake at night." Sage sighed, her eyes softening as she spoke, a familiar ache settling low in her chest. She felt her eyes wet slightly and unwillingly, her bottom lip trembled a few times as memories of all the nights lost, of all the nights spent spent together, being unable to do anything flooded her mind. When she next spoke, she made sure that her voice did not waver, "It was no gift to him."
The scavenger just continued to stare at her Master, her widened eyes trained upon her back.
Sage turned away from her then, her feet carrying her a few steps further towards the center of the stream. "Have you ever had dreams like this, Rey?" She changed the subject before her Padawan could question her.
"No..." She breathed, her eyes still wide as she watched the Knight wade further into the stream. "I mean, I sometimes used to dream about an ocean... and an island."
"Back when you were on Jakku?" The blonde turned her head back slightly.
"Yes."
"And this was back before you had ever seen an ocean?"
She bowed her head slightly, "Yes."
Sage stopped and instead clasped her hands behind her back, her head raising once more to scan the sky, as if it provided the answers she was looking for. "This was a reoccurring dream?"
"Well... kind of. I think it first happened when I was younger but... I liked the idea of something other than the sun and sand. So, I thought about it a lot. Would sometimes dream about it every few days. I never really paid it any mind… I though it was always just a sense of… wanting."
It was now the Jedi's turn to bow her head, "You were seeing Ahch-To." She slowly turned back around to look at Rey, her cool gaze holding the girl's. "You were dreaming about the temple. About finding us."
She narrowed her eyes. "What?"
"You would have eventually found us, one way or another. With or without the map from R2." She turned around fully now to face her Padawan. "The Force brought you to us, Rey."
For a moment the young scavenger gazed back at her Master as she considered her words. Eventually, though, she felt a gentle warmth settle in her heart. A small smile pulled up the corner of her lips. "I'm starting to be very glad that it did, Master."
Sage herself allowed her mouth to curl slightly and her eyes softened significantly, that low burning warmth in Rey's chest increasing as the woman looked back at her.
However, she felt her brow furrow suddenly as another thought crept into her mind. She allowed her gaze to fall away and off to the side, her teeth seizing her lower lip in silent contemplation.
The blonde saw this, "Is something wrong?"
"Force-visions can happen during the day right? While we're not dreaming?" Sage nodded and if possible Rey frowned even more deeply. "I think... I think I've had one before..." Swallowing, she looked back up to her teacher. "I think I had one the first time I touched Master Luke's lightsaber."
"On Takadona?"
The scavenger was just about to answer the question, her mouth open to speak, when something else dawned on her. Rey hadn't told Sage about Takadona. "Yes... How-How did you know?" She asked, slowly.
There was a long moment where the Knight simply gazed at her for a long moment, neither her Force-signature nor her eyes betraying any foreign emotion. However, her jaw did clench for a brief moment before it relaxed once more as she breathed in deeply. "I saw it in my own Force-vision... Maz Kanata had it... right?"
Rey narrowed her eyes slightly for a moment and slowly nodded, "Yes. That's right." She straightened up slightly, pulling her knees up to her chest so that she could rest her chin atop them. "What else did you see? In your vision, I mean?"
There was a stirring then in the once serene pool in her mind, one that was left entirely unguarded and strong enough for the younger girl to feel. When she looked back up at the Knight, she found that her eyes had fallen shut and there was a pained expression distorting her features.
"When I do have the rare vision, I usually just receive emotions, sensations mostly. Sometimes short images." She tilted her head slightly to the side, her brow furrowing further. "In the last one, I think... I felt your hunger on Jakku. Heard the shrill cries of a TIE Fighter. Mmm… The cool touch of a saber hilt." She curled her fingers into a fist around the phantom object before sighing, her shoulders heaving. "The fear and death of the millions of souls in a star system. And then... then there was a searing heat-" She raised her hand and dragged her fingers from the center of her forehead down across the bridge of her nose and her right eye until she reached her jawline. "-across my face." Her eyes slowly opened.
Rey's eyes widened once more and she alone understood what Sage was unknowingly talking about. How she had cut Kylo Ren across his face. And Sage had felt it.
"What about your vision?" The blonde asked quietly. "What did you see in your own?"
The younger girl didn't respond for a moment and simply frowned while shaking her head slowly. "I'm… not sure." Pursing her lips for a moment, Rey instead decided to hold her hand out towards the other female, "Here." The Knight hesitated briefly as she gazed calmly at her Padawan. "It's hard to explain... I'm not even sure what it was that I saw."
After a moment of what was evidently an internal debate, Sage began to wade towards the shore, her body slowly revealing itself as the water grew shallower. Her feet sloshed up onto the bank a few feet away from the scavenger, her body seeming to shimmer as little rivets of water followed the gentle curves and swells of the Knight's toned lower half.
Rey couldn't help but flush slightly at the sight but before she could hardly have a moment to even consider the warmth in her cheeks, the other woman was taking hold of her hand.
"Show me." She said, her fingers gently tightening on Rey's as she took a seat before her.
Still slightly startled, the scavenger's eyes were wide for a moment before she took a deep breath to center herself. It took a moment for her to search her own mind, to find and stir up the vision from the depths where she had hidden it in her mind.
She couldn't stop the jolt that wracked her body when it began.
The sound of a heavy respirator played through the air, mingling with the sounds of a child's cries. Rey allowed her eyes to open and she found that she was in a darkened corridor with Sage beside her, the woman still clad in only her underclothes. The blonde allowed her own eyes to wander around for a moment, her eyes briefly scanning the floor beneath her bare feet and how it was lit up.
Rey tightened her grip on the Knight's hand, causing the woman to focus her gaze on her, "This way."
She tugged her down the hallway and the scene began to slowly crumble around them until they were stepping out into an open expanse of sky and sand. "It's energy... It surrounds us..."
"NOOO!"
A cloaked figure sat hunched on the ground beside a familiar blue and white astro-droid, the orange specks of small embers flickering through the sky, the distant glow of a massive blaze lighting up the once dark night.
A streak of lightning flashed through the air and it began to rain heavily then, the cloaked figure reaching out to place a prosthetic, robotic hand atop the domed head of the droid, water pinging off their metallic surfaces.
However, the two women weren't getting wet as they stood out in the storm. Also, the vision, this time, seemed to drag on in length instead of just barely appearing in her mind.
Sage's eyes softened and she took a few steps forward, pulling Rey along with her so that they could stand closer to the hunched figure, their hands still locked. "Master..." She breathed and just as she was about to reach out and touch him, the screeching of a lightsaber igniting filled the air.
Both women turned then, only to be met with the sight of the glowing, red blade of a crackling saber in the hands of none other than Kylo Ren himself, his Knights a few feet behind them. Rey felt her anxiety spike immediately at the sight of the black cloaked figure and his horrific helmet but eventually tore her gaze away so that she may take in their surroundings, her eyes once more noting the various bodies that dotted the ground around them. She then looked back to her own Master who was staring straight ahead, blue eyes hard as they bore into the visor upon Ren's helmet.
However, over the sound of the rain and the angry humming from the cross-guard blade, there was also the solid, low hum of another, true saber, one that radiated both a familiar and more comforting blue color and was held in the hands of Sage once more; the younger version.
The version of her that Rey knew first.
And, just as it had been before, it was haunting how her eyes seemed to glow as they reflected the light from the blade.
"You have one choice." The Knight spoke the same words as he took a half step closer, his men close behind. "Join us or meet the same fate as the others."
Again, like Rey had witnessed before, the Jedi's gaze briefly flickered to the bodies near his feet, the rigidness flickering from her eyes. She swayed slightly in place, the turmoil evident in gaze before the lightning flashed across the sky and thunder rolled again. Her grip tightened on her weapon.
The memory suddenly froze then around Rey, the storm suddenly silencing itself. Neither the vision-version of Sage nor any of the Knights of Ren as if they were rooted in place. Even the rain seemed to have frozen in the sky.
However, the real, current Sage released her Padawan's hand and stepped away from her, her head tilting slightly to the side. The scavenger just watched, entirely confused as the Jedi walked forward, her eyes intent as if she were living the memory over again.
The blonde continued to walk forward so that she could circle around her younger self, eyes gazing at her own form for a long moment before she turned back to the inky forms across the way.
"How could you, Ben?" She spat, rocking on her feet slightly as she shifted. "They trusted you... I trusted you! And now you've thrown everything away!" Her voice cracked slightly as she shouted. For the first time in a long time since adhering to the Jedi Code, Sage had felt true anger, the hot, boiling acid that festered beneath her skin and had made her suddenly feel so strong. "We both know how this is going to end..." She had softened suddenly, shaking her head. "Don't do this, Ben. Please." She pleaded.
"It doesn't have to be this way, Sage." He took a small step forward and held out his hand towards her; an offering.
"Stay. Back." She spat at him, her own boots sloshing in the mud as she matched his step backwards. "You've seen what I can do to people like them! What we used to do to people like them!" She nodded sharply at the figures to his back. She raised her saber, her knuckles white as she clutched it. "Don't make me hurt you, Ben."
Rey had been watching her Master for a long moment and she couldn't help but be curious of the thoughts no doubt racing through the woman's mind. She was just about to reach out to Sage's mind when instead, she happened to glance back at the Knights and watched with utter horror as Kylo Ren suddenly turned his head in her direction.
This hadn't ever been in the vision.
She let out a startled gasp and stumbled back, suddenly drawing Sage's attention back to her. When she followed her student's gaze and found it trained on Ren's figure, she strode the few feet across the way to Rey, her hand reaching out to take hold of the girl's once more.
The brunette startled at this new touch and her head snapped in her direction, her racing heart calming slightly when she realized it was just her Master.
However, the sound of the ignition of a crackling saber was heard and both women turned back to once more face the Knight whose gaze was trained on both of them now.
His body then turned and he began taking slow steps towards them.
Out of pure instinct, Sage pulled Rey so that she was hidden partially behind her, the younger girl's fingers constricting almost painfully around her own. Her hazel eyes frantically flitted between Ren and her Master's face, only to find the woman had a stoney resolve upon her features.
"Are you afraid of him, Rey?" She asked her quietly.
The girl was breathing heavily, her chest heaving as her body struggled to keep up with itself, "Yes." As she spoke her admission, she squeezed the woman's hand more tightly, almost to the point of pain.
Sage's jaw ticked as her fingers were constricted but tried to keep it from plainly displaying itself on her face. "He's not real."
The Knight only continued to prowl closer, each step entirely predatory in nature.
Sage looked over at her student and in return, gently squeezed her hand back. "None of this is real. We are in your mind, Rey." She then glanced back over at Ren for a moment before her eyes returned to the girl. "You're allowing your fear of him to control you. Even now, he's winning."
His saber continued to crackle angrily as he came closer to them, the tattered cowl upon his back swaying with each step.
"You can make him stop. This is your mind. This is your fear. Control it." The Jedi warned her, her brow furrowing softly as she made her voice more commanding. "Make him put his lightsaber down."
Her wide eyes were locked on his approaching figure. She shook her head slightly, fear freezing her in place. "I-I can't!"
"Don't let him win, Rey!"
He was now only a few feet away, his saber spitting dangerously as he continued to come closer. Sage continued to shield her Padawan, keeping her behind her, their hands still locked tightly together.
"Master! I can't!"
He was close enough so that the two women could see their reflection in the chrome etchings on his helmet and in the reflective surface of the visor over his eyes.
Rey's eyes burned with tears and she tried almost desperately to pry her fingers free from the other female's, "Sage! Sage, please! I can't! I'm-I'm not ready, yet!"
He was directly in front of them then, Ren's gaze now trained solely on the scavenger girl as she continued to struggle. He raised his arm then to strike, the scarlet blades casting the two females in a red haze as they stood beneath it.
Out of instinct, Rey recoiled, her eyes shutting tightly and her body twisted away from him in an effort to protect her vital organs.
However, the searing heat of his strike never came.
The scavenger held her breath for a long moment and continued to wait before she cautiously cracked her eyes open, her body still tensed in preparation to run should the need arise.
Instead, she felt her breath stall in her chest as she beheld the sight before her; Sage, still standing before her, her left shoulder physically knocking into Ren's own left one as she held him back, their heads now parallel with one another.
"You can't allow your fear to rule you, Rey." The blonde said, softly. "Fear is our greatest weakness. A restriction our mind places upon itself." After a long moment of silence after she had spoken, the Jedi took a step back so that she could look at her student. "Once you remove that restriction, nothing can stand in your way." Her head swiveled in the direction of Kylo Ren, her cool gaze fixing itself upon him once more. "Tell him you're not afraid."
Rey blinked rapidly and then tore her gaze away from the imposing figure before them to look at the side of her Master's face, "W-What?"
"Tell him you're not afraid of him."
She licked her lips nervously and shook her head, her anxiety rising in her chest once more, "I… I don't think-"
"Tell him you're not afraid of him."
The scavenger bit her tongue, forcing down the words and doubt and self-loathing that wished to flow forth from her lips. Swallowing thickly, she shut her eyes tightly.
"I'm… I'm not afraid of you." She whispered.
"Open your eyes and look at him while you say it."
Taking a shuddering breath, Rey took a moment to steel herself before her eyes slowly cracked open and she gazed up at the mass of black before her. He was simply standing there, his lightsaber still growling quietly at his side.
"I'm not afraid of you." Her voice was stronger this time.
"Good-" Sage let go of Rey's hand and stepped away from her so that she could circle behind her to watch, her hands clasping behind her back. "Again."
For a moment, the younger girl hesitated, the comforting warmth of the Jedi's hand gone from her palm. However, she found now that she could clench her fists tightly. She could also feel her Master's reassuring presence at her back, curling around her, filling her with strength and warmth.
"I am not afraid of you!"
"You need to convince him as well as yourself, Rey."
She grit her teeth, her jaw clenching tightly as her nails dug into the palm of her hand. Like an angry child, she even stomped her foot, "I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU!" Her voice echoed off the emptiness around them.
She wasn't sure why she was doing it but she was suddenly raising her hand towards him and in her mind, she threw him back with a strong shove of the Force, causing him to stumble back out of sight and into the blackness that surrounded them.
When he was gone and it was just the two women once more, Rey just continued to grit her teeth, her eyes never leaving the spot where he disappeared from sight. She slowly lowered her hand so that it rested back at her side, "I'm not afraid of you." She whispered softly once more.
After waiting a moment, she turned back to look at her Master who was remained still behind her, her hands still clasped behind her back, "Good." She nodded and there was a hint of a proud smile on her lips. "Go ahead, open your eyes."
Once more, Rey was met with the sight of the Jedi Knight who was sitting quietly before her, blue eyes keen as they studied her face for a reaction.
"Are you still afraid of him?"
For a brief moment, her lips twitched as she searched her feelings, "I… On some level, I still think I do. Yes… I'm still a little afraid of him."
Rey was worried that Sage would find this answer to be displeasing but was relieved when the woman dipped her head in acceptance.
"Good. Then, you've already admitted your fear and you've recognized it. That's the first of many steps you've taken on your path to freedom."
The younger girl nodded in understanding and allowed a relieved smile to twitch briefly at her lips.
There was a moment of silence then that filled the air and it was then that they both realized that they still had their hands locked together. Rey glanced briefly at Sage and noticed that she was looking down at their intertwined fingers. After a moment of careful consideration, she licked her lips and was then pulling her hand away and out of her Padawan's grasp.
The emptiness that Rey felt when the blonde pulled away was heavier this time around, this experience having taken place in real life instead of in her mind. Her palm was a bit clammy but that was only to be expected. She vaguely wondered how long they had been standing there like that and she briefly glanced up at the sun, only to find that it seemed to be in the same place in the sky.
The Jedi turned away then and was scratching a hand through her hair, her bare feet carrying her across the softened ground back towards the tree line to, no doubt, retrieve her clothes.
For a moment, Rey gazed quietly at her surroundings, taking a breath to center herself back in her body, still mildly perplexed about how they had been galavanting around inside her consciousness; touching at her thoughts and emotions.
However, ideas of fear began to plague her mind. Very briefly, she glanced at the water lapping at the shore just a short ways away from her toes and she was speaking before she could stop herself.
"Master?" She called out, her accented voice filling the air. When she didn't get a response, she turned around and found that the woman had stopped just a few feet inside the tree line, her lower body still glistening with moisture as she gazed back at her, her hand still lazily scratching her head. "I was wondering if you could-I mean, if you don't have the time… Can you… Can you teach me to… to swim?"
Sage's brows rose in surprise and she looked a bit taken aback. "You really want to do that… today?"
"Well… you said that, eventually, I would have to learn either way…? And you were also teaching me about fear…? I thought this would perhaps be a good time?"
"Because… you're afraid of water?"
She licked her lips, "Yes."
The blonde remained silent for a moment before she sighed and nodded her head a few times, "Alright. Come on." She waved towards the water as she herself began to walk back towards the stream.
She didn't stop walking when she reached the water's edge and instead trudged deep enough so that she was submerged back up to her knees. She glanced back around at her Padawan, an expectant look on her face. She waved towards herself once more. "Come on."
Rey only swallowed thickly and reached for the bottom of her shirt so that she could pull it over her head, her cheeks burning hotly the entire time, eyes diverted down so that she wouldn't meet her Master's gaze. After pulling it over her head, she then hooked her thumbs into the hem of her pants and shimmied out of them so that they pooled around her ankles, now leaving her in just her underclothes like the other female. Almost instantly, her arms were crossing themselves over her chest, suddenly extremely subconscious of her body in comparison to the image of the blonde's.
The Knight had been watching her quietly, amusement in her gaze but all that instantly faded away when she finally took in Rey's form.
Her life spent scavenging was obvious by the way her ribs could be seen as they pressed against the pale skin of her upper abdomen, gently protruding out as raised ridges, evidence of long days and nights spent hungry.
There was a time where Sage had been so familiar with such feelings; both of the tight skin over her ribs as well as the cramping of her stomach.
Both sadness and worry instantly consumed the young Knight.
When they returned to the northern island, Sage would be sure to speak with COO about a change to the meal plan so that Rey began to perhaps gain some weight. Perhaps she could also reduce their physical training until then, help the younger girl save some much needed calories so that she didn't look so undernourished and gaunt.
Her mind was suddenly brought from her private string of consciousness when her student hesitantly took a few steps closer to the shoreline so that she could stop at the very edge of the stream.
"Go on. Get in." She chided her gently, pushing her thoughts to the side for the time being. Sage had more important things to worry about, her student's fear of water being one of them. "You're not going to drown in two inches of water, Rey." She teased her lightly, causing the girl's head to snap up from where she had been staring at the water line.
There was a mirth in the woman's eyes that gave life to an angsty spark in the pit of the scavenger's stomach. For she was silently challenging her.
Inhaling deeply, once more, the brunette steeled herself and lifted a foot, only to ever so slowly lower it towards the surface. When her big toe brushed the water, she wanted to jerk back from the shock of the new feeling of coolness, as well as the sensation of being wet, but instead pushed herself, her jaw clenching as she grit her teeth. She lowered her foot further, allowing the cool liquid to engulf it.
It was a… strange, new sensation but, at the same time, it was also quite refreshing.
With very little hesitation, she brought her other foot forward so that it joined the first in the shallow water, the liquid lapping just barely at her ankle bones. When she found that no harm did or would come to her, she looked up at her Master and grinned.
Sage offered her a small smile in return and extended a hand towards the younger female.
Nodding and licking her lips, Rey began to inch forward, her skin prickling with gooseflesh as the coolness began to travel further up her legs, passed her calves, over her knees, to come up to her thighs.
She noticed that the deeper she went, the more she struggled to move, the water limiting her movements beneath it's weight and resistance. That was when she decided that it was deep enough.
"I think that this is good… for now." She heaved a heavy breath of relief she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
"You still have aways before you can't touch and even then, the water level is just barely above my head." Sage spoke as she walked back towards her Padawan. She reached out and took hold of both of her hands, "Come on." She began to pull slightly.
"No-No!" Rey let out a bark of a laugh as she began to struggle, digging her heels into the smooth gravel in an effort to stop the Jedi. "This is good! This is good!"
Dejectedly, Sage sighed and allowed her head to fall back for a moment before she looked once more at the scavenger, her lips twisting upwards in a small yet kind smile.
"Do you trust me?"
For some reason, Rey's heart thudded in her chest and yet she found that a steady warmth encased the organ.
"Yes…" She breathed, her own grin stretching her lips as she nodded. "Absolutely."
When she received her answer, Sage couldn't help the sheepish smile and warm blush that graced her features. She turned away briefly as if to hide her face and Rey couldn't help but notice the extra glimmer in her Master's blue eyes.
"Climb on my back."
Rey blinked at her for a moment, "What?"
The blonde turned around and spread her arms out behind her, just barely reaching back for her student, "Just climb up onto my back."
"…Why?"
Sage snorted. "Because I can swim and you can't and I want to teach you about what it's like to float."
"So… we're going to go out deeper?"
"You said that you trusted me. And I promise that I won't let anything happen to you. You have my word." Blue eyes held hazel ones over the Jedi's shoulder and Rey had to look away from them because of the strange intensity that lay in those irises.
She also had to fight away the tears that wanted to bloom in her eyes because, never before, had she felt so cared for; so utterly protected by anyone ever.
Wordlessly, she nodded and, without meeting her gaze, stepped towards the Knight. She hesitated then, wondering where she was supposed to place her hands before she decided to place her hands upon the woman's strong shoulders. She then hopped and Sage easily caught her behind her knees.
For a moment it was awkward before they both situated themselves so that they fit comfortably together.
"Ready?" Rey wrapped her arms around Sage's neck, her golden hair silky as it gently brushed her skin. She nodded and tightened her grip slightly.
The Knight began slowly walking further into the water, the liquid lapping further up both of their bodies the deeper they went.
The young girl just watched carefully las the surface level steadily rose, still holding tightly to her Master. The water was chilly and once more caused the scavenger's skin to prickle but she still remained quiet.
It wasn't until the water began lapping at her mid-torso that she began to panic. She didn't like the feeling of her lungs stuttering because of the cold and began to squirm.
"It's okay, Rey." Sage told her gently as she only continued onward. "I've still gotcha. I want you to just stay calm."
There was suddenly a touch against her mind and she couldn't help but to obey the Jedi's words. So, she was calm.
"Human bodies are also naturally buoyant, meaning that we float in water because we consist of a different density of liquids. So, unless you're weighed down with something like a weight or a stone, you'll have a very hard time drowning if you just remain calm, understood?"
"Yeah." Rey said softly.
The water was now at about breast level and the scavenger was still heeding her Master's words. There wasn't much she could do besides hold on and watch the water rise the further they went into the stream so she focused on keeping her breathing even and her heart rate at a reasonable pace.
It was soon after she'd spoken that Rey felt it; a strange, weightless sensation that lifted her ever so slightly from the other female's back.
And, eventually, Sage stopped walking, the water now sitting at the base of their necks. "Do you know how to hold your breath?"
"Yes," she panted, keeping her chin tilted up and away from the water, "Sometimes, the sand would blow terribly on Jakku and it isn't healthy to breath it in so, I had to learn."
"Good. You're going have to hold your breath then when we go underwater here in a minute."
"W-What?!"
"You're going to hold your breath while you hold onto me underwater, okay?"
She shifted her grip around her Master's neck, her anxiety rising, "Okay." She said softly.
"I want you to start holding your breath, then. Take a deep one. And hold your nose shut until we get under the surface." Sage commanded her gently and Rey complied inhaling deeply, her cheeks puffing out. Out of habit, she also closed her eyes and pinched her nose shut. Then, the blonde was lowering them down.
The water level passed up over her chin, mouth, nose, eyes, and eventually the top of her head. She released the hold she had on her nose after being beneath the water for a moment.
When she began to panic due to this foreign sensation, it was then that she remembered the woman's words and began chanting them in her head: stay calm.
When they were completely submerged, Sage's hands suddenly disappeared behind her knees but Rey made sure that her arms remained wound around her neck.
She felt the water stir around them and then she was being pulled forward by her arms, the weightless feeling now engulfing her entirely.
Open your eyes, Rey.
The gentle voice whispered in her mind and after a brief moment of hesitation, she allowed her eyes to crack open.
For a moment, her irises burned but she found that she didn't care, for the sight she beheld was far too entrancing to look away from.
The water around them was crystal clear, not a hint of murkiness contaminating it. The sunlight filtered down in shafts through the surface of the water, casting rippling patches of gold across the soft, sandy floor. There was also a few brightly colored fish that swam lazily through the water, their tail fins swaying slowly back and forth as they cruised through the shallows.
What surprised her the most, though, was when a small creature suddenly came swirling through the water towards them from behind. It had sleek, light gray fur that covered its little body as the beast twirled elegantly through the water around the two of them, a shrill squeak echoing through the water as it greeted them in its own language.
It observed the two strange creatures for a moment, the little rodent pausing in the water to watch them, the black clam in its webbed paws suddenly forgotten.
After a moment, it evidently deemed them to not be of any sort of threat and squeaked as it swam closer, its head tilting slightly to the side in curiosity.
Forgetting where she was for a moment, Rey smiled and raised one of her hands, outstretching it towards the creature.
The little thing flared its nostrils for a moment before it darted forward slightly, one of his little, clawed paws wrapping around Rey's pointer finger so that he could stabilize himself and so lick her middle finger with his soft, pink tongue.
The sensation was strange and the scavenger jerked her hand back out of sheer surprise, therefore startling the little beast who darted back through the water so that he was a safe distance away. He still remained, though, watching carefully as he clutched his clam to his chest.
We can play with him later. We need to breath.
Rey couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed when Sage began to swim once more, towing her Padawan through the water until it was shallow enough for the Jedi to stand, her hands once more replacing themselves behind the other girl's knees so that she could lift her.
When they broke the surface, Rey inhaled deeply, having not realized how much her lungs had been screaming for air by the time they touched down.
"What was that thing?" She asked while Sage continued to walk out of the water with her on her back, her hand reaching up so that she could push a few stray baby hairs out of her face, her hair now damp and stringy; another new, strange experience.
"Master Luke says that they're called Forest Otters and inhabit the stream and waterfalls here on the island. I don't really see them often when I come to visit and that's the closest I've ever gotten to one."
"He was quite a cute little fellow." She wiped a water droplet from the tip of her nose. "Didn't seem too afraid of us."
"No, not at all." They were back in the actual shallows now and water dripped noisily from their bodies as Sage carried them both back up onto the shore on the opposing side of the river.
Eventually, she set her Padawan down, her wet feet settling once more on the damp shore. Rey released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding until her feet were safely back on the ground and under her own control.
"See?" She looked over at her Master when she'd spoken. She was pushing her hands back into her hair and was ringing the excess moisture from it. "Water is nothing to be afraid of, don't you think?"
Rey only nodded, her eyes becoming distant. "I suppose so… but, that was the first time I'd ever felt water like that, so, I wouldn't really know…"
"Well, that's understandable," Sage sighed, "Jakku probably doesn't have very many accessible bodies of water."
"No… Uh… I meant like… On my body. Ever." The Jedi looked over at her and was frowning softly, the other girl's cheeks warming as she nervously rubbed her arm."I've never felt real rain before. Or even been in a river."
"Surely… you've bathed yourself, haven't you?" When Rey didn't immediately respond, Sage felt herself only grow both more concerned and confused. "Haven't you?"
She hummed slightly and shrugged noncommittally. "Once a week… back on Jakku. Every week, if you worked for Plutt, he'd give us a token for about two minutes in an old sonic shower. Just enough to keep the dirt and grime off our faces… Water was always far too precious to waste on something like bathing. And on D'Qar, the base was already too heavily populated because of what happened to the Hosnian system. People were already sleeping on the floor, food was low; everyone was fighting for time in the sonics, either way. And here… Well…" She looked down and away and from the other female. "I didn't want to waste water again."
After listening to her Padawan speak, the Knight felt her throat thicken as bile rose up from her stomach.
Their upbringings had been similar, yes, but Rey had to endure it so, so much longer than Sage had to. And to have endured such hardships, such hell for even six years of her life, while the scavenger had endured what? Fourteen - fifteen - years of it?
Gods… The thought only was enough to make her sick. A child like that, so young, alone, had somehow survived in that wasteland.
Sage had at least had her father to try and provide food and water for her; Sage had at least been loved.
Rey… Rey had had none of that.
But, now… she would make sure Rey had a good life. Would be properly fed and bathed. Have new clothes to wear. To be loved and wanted and cherished by someone.
Both as her Master and as her friend, she would make sure that nothing bad ever befell Rey again. Whether it be that she was plagued by her fears or haunted by self-doubt or whether it be entirely physical, by the grace of her training or by literally sacrificing her body Sage would protect her.
Without saying a word, the Knight stepped towards her and before she could react, she wrapped her arms around Rey's shoulders and drew her close in an embrace. For a moment, the brunette was stunned beyond belief, her eyes extremely wide as she remained there, frozen. After a moment, however, she cautiously lowered her arms and allowed them to circle around Sage's waist in return.
"I'm so sorry, Rey…" She whispered, her eyes stinging slightly as tears threatened to spill forth. "I'm so, so sorry that I didn't find you sooner."
Her student said nothing but didn't pull away from her. Instead, Rey tightened her grip around the other female and buried her face in the warmth of her Master's shoulder, her own tears already dripping down her cheeks while silent sobs wracked her thin body.
Well, that was interesting.
Hello, all! Have you missed me?! I've certainly missed you, I'll tell you that.
My life this past month (for fuck's sake, it's been that long already?) has been utter chaos. But, that's really no excuse when it comes to writing, honestly. So, here are my excuses.
I finished my final month at my job (huzzah!) before I go back to college. I was working 40+ as a part-time seasonal worker which was kinda crap. But now I'm done and can enjoy my short period of time off! The next excuse is that my best friend is also getting married in like 6 days and I'm one of her bridesmaids. So, I've been helping her get ready and attending showers and stuff like that. The next is that I have also been on vacation the last five days. We are currently vacationing in Wyoming and visited Yellowstone. But, not to worry, Wyoming is 900 fricken' miles from where I live so I basically wrote this entire chapter while on the road. However, I've not been able to post for a number of days because the hotel we were staying at had shit Wi-Fi. But, we are now on our way home and have stopped at a new hotel which has good Wi-Fi, so, life is good again.
So, there you go.
Honestly, this chapter didn't go as originally as planed (do they ever, honestly?) and was supposed to have a lot more plot in it. But, I feel as though development between Sage and Rey is super important. You'll see why later because I'm evil.
Again, sorry for the lack of Kylo in this chapter. The good stuff is coming soon, I promise.
*Hint hint* We get off Ahch-To in the next chapter. And finally, the characters originally tagged will be finally FINALLY showing up. YAS.
Anyway, I have to go now. But, first, I'd like to thank all of you who reviewed/commented/favorited/kudoed/followed/subscribed. You guys light up my life every time I receive an email for Spectrum.
I will see you guys, next time! So, YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO, READ AND REVIEW!
Love,
Blue