Hey people, sorry for not updating for a verrrrrrry long time. I got lazy and distracted by my interviews for my new school. Anyways I'm glad I was able to get my computer back and write this! And I have a really bad memory so I'll just go and reread this whole fanfic…
Also, I didn't mention what Cleo was wearing so now she's going to be wearing pants similar to the ones on Sabine's outfit except without the armor on the knees, tennis shoes, an orange shirt and a blue sweatshirt and on her back will be the rebel's logo.
"Cleo, are you absolutely sure you want to tell us now?" Kanan asks again.
"Yes," I nod my head once more, "Can I please tell you before I change my mind?" I ask Kanan and Hera quickly because my stomach is starting to twist with near regret.
Kanan and Hera respond with a fast bob of their heads and I take a deep breath. This is a lot tougher than I thought it would be…
"So when I was little I lived with my parents in the city. I forgot which one but it was on Lothal. We were basically a normal family only that one day they just stopped seeing me. It was around when I was 3 -close to 4- years old. I didn't understand it, one day we're a happy family and the next they treat me like a pet." I pause a moment, still pushing back the feeling in my stomach. Kanan blinks and waits patiently for me continue, Hera smiles encouragingly and also waits. "So when I was 5 we were sitting at the table. I think they were discussing something important; their faces were so serious. There was a knock on the door so my dad got up and answered it." I shivered and pushed myself to remember the full memory. "There was a blast and I heard something fall and saw a group of people dressed in white armor at the doorway. My mom was in a panic and she scooped me out of the chair, ran upstairs with me and placed me in a fruit crate. She ran out the back door and placed me on our neighbor's back porch and ran off." I take a breather, close my eyes and continue. "I fell asleep and woke up to see that it was raining, the box was cold and there was a growling in front of me in the bushes. The Loth-wolves came out and picked me up by my shirt collar. Their fur was soft and warm so I fell asleep again and woke up in their den. When I stumbled outside, I was in the middle of a field. One of the Loth-wolves walked up to me and growled nicely, as if to say 'good morning and welcome to our home.' Being only 5, I wasn't at all afraid of the Loth-wolves. I steadily learned their language and became a new edition to their family. When I finally decided to go back to the city I wasn't exactly prepared for human socialization.. I still wasn't prepared for it." I unconsciously pick at the whip scar on my leg, Hera rests her hand on mine and keeps me going, "I ran into a few gangs and ran from a majority of them but then again I couldn't exactly run all the time. Some of them captured me," my voice turned to a whisper, "some tortured me, others just ran me ragged for the fun of it. After that I discovered the Empire and what they could do. I picked up art around that time." I smiled remembering the first time I drew on the city walls. "Few years after traveling around Lothal I saw something that made me so happy my heart would burst. My parents. I went up to them and reintroduced myself; after all they probably couldn't recognize me. Next thing I know they're telling me to get away from them and they didn't know any filthy Loth-rat. I was broken to bits so I went back to the Loth-wolves for a while and returned to the city Only way I knew how to feed myself was hunting or touching up the paint on people's vehicles. I kept at it a few more years, going from city to city. Eventually I started painting more openly and the Empire didn't appreciate it. When Sabine found me I was finishing up one of my new artworks. It's too bad because that one took me a long time to work on." I breathed deeply; the knots in my stomach are barely a loop now. "So I finally got that off my chest." I laugh nervously.
"Thank you, Cleo." Hera says and wraps me in a hug.
"Hey guys!" Sabine pops her head into the room. "You coming or what?" she does her best to ignore that Hera is hugging me but Sabine's head instantly fills with questions.
"Go on ahead. We'll meet you at Ezra's parent's house." Kanan tells Sabine and she walks away.
"We should get going." I say and Hera releases me from her arms.
We walk outside in silence, I'm surprised I didn't cry but I'm still amazed with myself that I had the guts to tell Hera and Kanan.
"Where exactly is Ezra's house?" I break the silence as we walk to the city.
"You'll see." Kanan says and continues walking.
I sigh and look at the sky, the clouds look like feathers. I flinch when something grabs my hand. I look to my left and Hera's holding my hand, she looks serious. I start to wonder about what Kanan had first said about Ezra, that even he had a tough time accepting his parent's death. I wonder what happened to them… think to myself, hoping Kanan wasn't listening.
We meet up at Ezra's house where Zeb, Sabine and Chopper were already waiting. Zeb had dozed off and Chopper was watching the door. Hera moves the cushion on the floor, revealing an underground room where Sabine was. I hold my breath a bit, the dusty smell making me want to sneeze. I decide that I don't appreciate the underground room very much so I go back to the living room and fall asleep.
I wake up to Ezra sliding the doors open. I rub my eyes and yawn. I follow him back into the underground room.
"I don't get it," Zeb sighs, "They weren't soldiers – just citizens so why'd they risk it all?"
"They had hope," Hera says as she tinkers with a box with lots of button on it, "that they could do something to make the galaxy a better place for
their son."
Sabine clears her throat, alerting Hera that Ezra and I were in the room.
"Cutting it a little close," Sabine observes as Ezra glances at Hera, "I know you don't want to miss Trayvis's meeting."
"Neither is the Empire." Ezra says and turns to Kanan, "You were right, Kanan. They know where the meeting is. Kallus has an operation, probably
to capture Trayvis or worse." Ezra's expression turns into sadness.
"Imperials will have numbers." Zeb states.
I blink still confused; Kallus was probably someone in the Empire that had dealt with this crew before.
"We'll have surprise." Kanan crosses his arms, looking at the better side of things.
"What gives you that idea?" Sabine asks.
"I'm being optimistic." Kanan says happily.
I hold my laugh, seeing Kanan happy seemed weirdly funny. We leave for the Old Republic Senate building.
"Do you think we could stop for my paints?" I ask quietly from our spot a ways from the Republic building.
"Cleo!" Ezra says with disbelief, "What are you even going to use the paint for?"
"I might need it." I shrug my shoulders.
"Fine, if we see it then you can take it." Kanan says in a quietly strict voice.
"I'm not seeing any Imperial forces." Sabine says.
Kanan sighs, "Well, they gotta be around." He looks through his binoculars (AN: I don't know what they're called!) for any sign of Imperial
presence. "Yeah, I found them." Kanan looks at two troopers rounding the corner bellow.
"We gotta get Trayvis out of there before the Empire moves in." Ezra says as everyone gathers in a circle.
"Why haven't they moved in already?" I ask.
"They want us to." Kanan answers me. "It's a trap."
"So we don't walk into it, of course. We don't even know for sure if your precious senator is in there." Zeb gestures to Ezra.
"Yes we do! I saw!" Ezra repeats himself.
"If we can get up there without being seen maybe we can fly him out on his own ship." Kanan suggests.
"I know one way!" I remember how I got into the building to hide my supplies.
"I know just what you're thinking. Come on." Ezra smiles and runs off.
Okay, okay. Even I'll admit that IT'S TOO $**^% SHORT! but hey, I'm working on the rest and this seemed like a good place to end the chapter. I'm still apologizing for it being so short though I also hate when chapters are short...