AN: As promised, this chapter is much longer. You're welcome. All the Clone Wars fans out there will be very happy with me on this one. I wish you all a very Happy Easter.
So here is your chocolate bunny chapter! :-D
(Anakin POV)
They say the past will come back to haunt you. I know that all too well. Every step I images of the dark time enter my mind and torment me. During the nighttime it's even worse. But this little situation, went back into a more bearable part of my life.
"No way," is all I could say, as I stared at the sight in front of me.
"Yes way Skywalker, now pick up your jaw and explain why you haven't aged in the slightest bit."
I think SHE needs to tell me why HER attitude hasn't changed in the slightest bit. "You're attitude's as bad as ever Ventress. And I'm not exactly sure on the youth thing," I retorted.
"Uh, Dad? You two…uh…know each other?" Luke asked after tapping my shoulder.
"No Luke, I'm talking to a complete stranger and telling them how bad their attitude is," I replied sarcastically, "what did you think?"
He shrugged and I sighed in a normal parent-ish way. I am secretly thankful for his immaturity, it makes me feel like I haven't missed all those years. But as usual, my musings were interrupted by a little reminder of the past I want to forget. "Didn't you turn to the dark side and get all messed up?" Ventress asked.
I bit my lip so hard it began bleeding, and then incoherently mumbled, "I don't want to talk about it."
"I respect that for now Skywalker, but only because that part of your life gives us something in common. Having masters who betrayed us. But not everyone here is as forgiving as I am."
Did she just?…No, she couldn't have…could she. I wasn't sure whether it was a coincidence that she used MY exact words or she did it on purpose. The satisfied smirk on her face told me it was the latter.
I elbowed her lightly and said, "Sometimes, I really hate you, you know that?"
"Fully aware. Now what are you doing here of all places Skywalker?" Ventress asked.
"Investigating the uprising of Imperial remnants," Luke said from behind me, standing on his toes to see over my shoulder.
"Do you know anything about it?" Leia asked.
Ventress took a moment to think, and then nodded, "There was a group of Imperials, they were being led by some nut job who claimed to be a Sith. Did your old master tell you anything about others LORD VADER?"
"Okay that's it!" I yelled, "One more Vader joke or comment from anybody and I will scream. The results won't be pretty I promise you. Don't push my buttons, because I. Don't. Have. Any. Are we clear."
I'd never seen a group of people stand so still before. One of the only good things that came from being Darth Vader, is that getting people to listen to me is a simple task. During that time I got mad A LOT, but considering my physical state, I think I had every right to feel that way.
"I did not hear of any other Sith to answer your question. I was kept in the dark, literally and figuratively, about almost everything." I stated, taking a great effort to remain calm as horrific memories assaulted my thoughts.
"Maybe one of the Hands took on the role," Mara suggested, "some of them seemed kinda nutty." She winked at me and I smiled. I remember how we found that out…
(Flashback)
I was calmly sitting in my hyperbaric chamber, maskless and mad for no reason. Then, I heard a noise that disturbed me to the core. Somebody had pushed the open button. My eyes snapped open and I panicked, desperately trying to find a way to cover my face before the intruder saw anything. I managed to grab my cloak and wrap it around my exposed head just in time, before an eleven year old Mara Jade jumped on top of me.
"LORD VADER, LORD VADER! You've got to help me!" she screamed, loudly enough so I could understand despite my damaged hearing.
"Mara, get off of me," I rasped out, I sensed her shock and concern through the force.
"THAT'S what you sound like?!" Mara exclaimed, "You sound like you're dying! Should I call a doctor?"
"Mara-" I began, but my words turned into a coughing fit. No no no no! I didn't want Mara seeing me how I really was! It would kill her, 'cause for a reason I couldn't put my prosthetic finger on, she CARED for me.
I pulled myself together, and grabbed my helmet. I tried putting it back on without allowing Mara a look at the grotesque mess I had instead of a face. From the horrified expression I saw through the red tinted lenses once I put the mask on, I think she caught a glimpse of it.
Though I didn't want to admit it, the terror in her eyes tore another hole in my wounded soul. Then her expression became pitiful, but that only made me feel worse. I slammed down on my "weak" emotions and asked her, "Now, what was so important you disturbed my privacy?"
Mara realized that was my way of saying "you never saw that" and replied, "This total NUT came up to me and starting singing the strangest song! He just kept going 'Baby, baby, baby oh' over and over again. And since your the only person who's sane, interesting, and nice to me around here; I came to you."
I stood up and led her out of the chamber, "Perhaps we shall VISIT this imbecile and decide what to do with him."
Mara giggled and said, "If he starts singing YOU a song, I suggest we run."
I couldn't help but smile at the comment, "Or we could fight fire with fire."
Her eyes lit up and she asked, "YOU would SING?"
"Only in the case of an extreme emergency," I added, "I don't think I'd be very good though…"
"You'd be better than THIS GUY. Plus, I bet if you turned of the voice modifier you'd be the next big thing."
Why were kids so nice? The innocence touched what was left of my heart. "Take me to this fool immediately Mara," I commanded, pathetically trying to drive her attention away from the capabilities of my (damaged) vocal chords.
"K Vader."
I followed her down the vast hallways of the Executor, and a boy jumped out and began to sing the song Mara spoke of.
"Like BABY, BABY, BABY, OOOOHHHH!" he sang/screeched, it was terribly off key.
"What is your problem?" I questioned.
"Red's cute, so I'm singing her a love song." he responded.
I think Mara was blushing, I couldn't really tell (for reasons I've already explained). "Who are you?" she asked.
"I'm one of the Emperor's Hands. The name's Fiddlefurd. Bob Fiddlefurd."
What kind of name was Fiddlefurd? "Why did the Emperor recruit YOU?" I questioned.
"I think I may ask you the same thing, being a cyborg and all," he replied smoothly.
Did he just insult ME?! I'm Darth Vader for kriff's sake! NO ONE SASSES ME AND GETS AWAY WITH IT. Especially with such a hard subject. Pointing out my flaws, as if I DON'T ALREADY SEE THEM. Mara inched away from me slightly, and I didn't blame her. She knew how much it angered me whenever someone mentioned any of my weaknesses.
"Dude, you have no clue what you have just gotten yourself into," Mara said, "what do you think you've gotten yourself into."
"Uh…" Bob said, "I don't know."
"You just gave the master of grudge-holding a VERY good reason to hold a grudge on you. The one thing more frightening than death, is an angry Darth Vader."
"The only thing keeping me from killing you is that the Emperor would be most…displeased," I snarled.
I walked off, leaving Mara to do whatever she wanted. I reached my quarters, and minutes later Mara joined me. She had a smile that said, "you'll be so proud when I tell you what I just did."
"Mara, what did you do?" I asked.
She smiled and smugly replied, "I told Bob that the REAL reason you wear that thing is so that girls don't start chasing after you. I said I saw you without it once, and the sight was breathtaking."
She said WHAT? I couldn't believe it! She stood up for me! "How can you say that since you've seen what's really underneath?" I asked.
Mara looked me dead in the eye and answered, "Because it's not about what you look like. The thing that really matters is what's on the inside. I've seen the real you, and despite your reputation, you're a really nice guy. If any of the women in the world still have sense, I bet someone would fall for you in an instant. So what I said was the truth, if we lived in a perfect world."
In a way, my redemption started right when she said that. To think that she considered me human, unburied just a bit of the Anakin in me.
(End Flashback)
"If this Sith is Bob I will scream," I said.
"You're just screaming at everybody today Skywalker," Ventress commented.
"At least they aren't screams of agony," Leia added, "'cause I've heard way too many of those."
So have I Leia. So have I.
AN: This chapter was meant to be very funny. I almost died of laughter while writing it. But now, it's time for… "CHOSEN1DESTAHNEE ASKS YOU!" The all new game show where I, ask you, for your opinion on something! Today's question: What is your favorite line in the Star Wars cannon (Movies, Clone Wars, Rebels, those new books and comics)? Let me know!