Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of the amazing characters
Chapter 17:
As the days passed Rey and Phasma became closer, not quiet friends but no longer clear cut enemies. They ate dinner together every night and then worked on honing Rey's senses through the Force. Rey was getting very good at sensing the living force. It didn't take long before it took hours for her to lose track of the droid and it was always using her hearing, sight, and sense of smell. She was quickly mastering Force Listening, Force Smell and Force Sight.
It was her mastery of Force Sense that was still lacking and Rey had no clue why. She could easily sense the living force, the life force of everyone around her but she could only identify individuals if they were very near her. She could pick Phasma out of the crowd because Rey had spent the last 14 days with Phasma's slightly dimmed energy blazing right in her face.
Rey thought that the problem was that Phasma was not a force user and therefore couldn't fully explain to Rey the way it should feel or how to best open herself up to the living Force. When the two women got really frustrated they started shouting and Phasma ended up leaving after they came close to trading blows. At this point she was really starting to miss Kylo. He had been gone 14 whole days.
Rey had eaten her dinner all alone and was trying to focus on meditating when she felt a familiar presence in her room. She barely turned away from her plate. While she was thankful to see someone other than Phamsa, Luke wasn't exactly the force user Rey wanted to see.
Good evening Rey. How is your training going, Luke asked. Good. I've been working on my Force Sense but it's rather difficult when you don't even know what you should be feeling for, Rey admitted. Force Sense just takes practice. When you are feeling for the living force try and find the little differences between different people, and differences between living beings and inanimate objects. Once you notice what makes each life force unique it'll come easier. Once Kylo is back you can ask him, Luke said with a smile.
Transparent Luke walked around Rey's cell/bedroom, noting different things. Rey watched him move around the room. She got the sense that he was here for a reason.
I don't think you came here just to check up on my training, Rey said. No, not just to check up on your training. I came to warn you that this new threat is approaching much faster than we'd all realized. I wish Kylo was here, so I could speak with the two of you together. This new evil has their sights set on the First Order for its technology and manpower. Tell Kylo to watch who he does dealings with. Even connected to the Force I cannot tell how far and wide this threat has already reached, Luke said and even on his slightly younger face the worry was evident.
Rey thought for a moment.
I will tell him but in case you didn't know Kylo left the ship two weeks ago to meet with someone. He wasn't too forthcoming with the details. You don't think Kylo has run into trouble and that's why he hasn't come back yet, Rey asked, concerned. I don't know. I haven't felt any disturbances in the force, so I would say that Kylo is safe. I will check on you again when I can, Luke said and then was gone.
Rey sighed. She was alone again. She went and sat on her bed and began meditating. She started working on feeling each individual person and thing on the Vengeance and other ships that made up Kylo's new fleet. Soon she began to feel the difference between the many humans, the few non-humanoids, the many droids and everything else. She fell into deep meditation before long and began looking for specific energy signatures.
Suddenly the light that normally surrounded Rey when she was meditating darkened. Panic started to set in as she felt her surroundings shift the way that they used to when the bond between her and Kylo opened and she was transported outside of her body to where ever he was. Even more unsettling was the fact that she could not move. Rey struggled to break the meditation as she heard a sickly dark chuckle echo through the space of her mind.
Rey tried to calm herself. Snoke was dead she'd seen his body come apart with her own eyes. There was no way he could he here in her mind. She would have known if she and Snoke had formed a force bond the way that she and Kylo had. So how was she hearing his voice.
There was sickening whirl of color that left her standing inside StarKiller base as Kylo put his lightsaber through Han Solo's chest. Rey felt so much pain and anger that she wanted to take her staff and beat Kylo for just two seconds before she remembered that they had settled this already. She knew that Snoke manipulated him and that he lived with the pain and regret of murdering his father every day. It was part of the reason she was even willing to feel something for him. It was how she knew there was still light left in him.
Then Rey was kneeling in the throne room. Kylo's tall dark form stood above her with his lightsaber pointed at her. She could just barely see the movement of his wrist as he turned Luke's lightsaber toward his true target. Rey felt a surge of triumph as she waited for the moment where Snoke's body is bisected by Luke's lightsaber.
She immediately felt that something was different, wrong.
Weak little girl…Did you really think that you could defeat me so easily? That you could turn my apprentice in to you cause? Foolish girl, Ren will turn you to the dark side and you will do his bidding. You will slaughter your pathetic friends with pleasure and you will continue the line of Skywalker and return the Sith to full power, Snoke's voice invaded the darkness seconds before the strangely tall humanoid alien stepped into view.
Suddenly Kylo was snatched into Snoke's clutches. Dark lightning arched from Snoke's hand to Kylo's prone form stuck floating in the air. His screams rent the air and Rey climbed to her feet. She called Kylo's lightsaber to her hand and took a step forward as the throne room fell away.
She stood in this strange dark place with Kylo's red lightsaber held tightly in her grip. She used the knowledge gained during her time spent immersed in Kylo's consciousness so that she didn't cut her finger off with the side vents. She took a step toward where Snoke was holding Kylo wrapped in his force lightning.
Suddenly shadowy figures appeared in the space between Rey and Snoke. As Rey took a step forward the figures became solid and the air stunk of Sulfur. Another step and she could begin to make out the facial features of the figures. They were twisted; there was no way to tell if they had eyes or a nose. The only prominent feature the creatures seemed to have was their mouths which were filled with needle like teeth that seemed to be dripping acid. Their long spindly limbs had razor sharp claws on the ends instead of anything resembling fingers.
They slashed at Rey as she spun Kylo's lightsaber, cutting through the demons causing them to become dust and blow away. She was calm as her eyes stayed locked on Kylo in Snoke's clutches. Normally she would have panicked but she didn't fear fighting Snoke again. Once she freed Kylo they would stop Snoke together!
You're nothing but an apparition. I know Ben Solo killed you months ago. You are nothing! You have no power over anything anymore! Not me! Not Kylo Ren! Not even your precious First Order! You are defeated, Rey yelled out as she ran forward, slicing through anything that got in her way.
Rey moved around Snoke and swung the lightsaber in a way that she'd only seen Kylo do. She moved the blade in wide arches and whirls. The lightning holding Kylo fell away as Snoke's arm fell to the ground. Kylo fell to the ground breathing heavily. He shakily got to his feet and called Luke's lightsaber from the darkness and together he and Rey took on Snoke. Rey was relieved when they both put their lightsabers through the evil creature's heart and he turned to ash to blow away too.
Kylo lightly touched Rey's face and then uttered, Thank you for freeing me.
Rey moved to take his hand but Kylo faded away too. Then it all went away and Rey was back in her room sitting on her bed. She let out a deep breath. Then there was an explosion and the door to her room fell away. Rey jumped to her feet and covered her mouth and nose with the sleeve of her new black shirt as smoke filled the room from the explosion.
"Rey," a familiar voice called out of the smoke.
Two seconds later Finn appeared through the smoke with his blaster raised. Rey was so happy to see her friend that for a moment she didn't even question what was going on. She ran into him and the two hugged for a long moment.
"What are you doing here, Finn? I thought I told you guys that I didn't need to be rescued," Rey said as Finn began pulling her through the hole that was created when the door was destroyed and down the hallway. "You didn't really think any of us were buying that," Finn asked, his grip on Rey's arm was almost bruising. "Finn, you're hurting me," Rey said as she noticed that they weren't headed toward the hanger or the escape pods.
Finn didn't seem to hear her at first. Rey planted her feet and yanked her arm from his grip. Finn stopped as though startled. He looked back to where Rey was standing.
"Come on Rey, we don't have much time. Poe and the others are keeping the First Order busy so that we can complete our mission and escape," Finn said urgently. "Mission? What mission?"
Fin stepped closer to Rey so that he could speak to her without having to yell.
"We have to kill Kylo Ren right now otherwise he's going to come after you again. Leia made it top priority after rescuing you," Finn said and Rey took a step away from him.
She looked around to find that even though the alarm bell was blaring there were no Stormtroopers in the hallway. There were usually 4 between her room and Kylo's. There weren't enough rebels left for them to be keeping every Stormtrooper on the ship busy enough to not watch over her door. Kylo would kill them for that alone.
"Kylo is not the enemy. We've been working together to become stronger this whole time so that we can fight the new evil that is threatening the galaxy as we speak," Rey said. "I know he's controlling you but we can do this if you put your mind to it," Finn said trying to grab her arm again.
Rey snatched away from him again. Finn was acting very strange. Even more strange than usual.
"Hey Finn, where is Rose? I thought you two were inseparable," Rey said.
Finn looked confused for a second as though he'd never even heard of his girlfriend. Rey knew then that whatever this thing was, it wasn't Finn. The Finn she knew would never forget one of his friends, especially not his girlfriend. Rey called her staff to her hand.
"You are not, Finn," Rey exclaimed. "What? Rey what are you talking about. I am Finn. I came here to rescue you and help you kill Kylo Ren," the man pretending to be Finn said. "I do not want to kill Kylo and Leia would never send you here to kill her son," Rey said and hit the imposter Finn with a hearty blow from her staff.
The thing crumbled to the ground and Rey was sitting back in her room. There was no sign that she'd done anything but meditate. She looked around and was more than shocked to see Kylo Ren leaning up against her door. She stood there for a second taking him in. He was dressed in his usual all black with his long cloak hanging from his shoulder.
His hair was longer than it had been before their training on Florn so that it completely covered his ears. It looked so soft that her fingers ached to touch it. His pale skin was just as flawless, well except for the scar that Rey had given him. His deep brown eyes stared at her with a hunger burning in them so strongly that it made heat creep into Rey's face. His sensually full lips pulled her gaze and held it.
"If you aren't real, I'm gonna be pretty pissed," Rey said cautiously. "Sweetheart, I'm as real as it gets," Kylo said in his deep melodic voice.
A smile crept onto Rey's face as she ran the short distance between her bed and where Kylo stood by the door. She threw herself into his arms before she was even sure that he was going to catch her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him for a few seconds with her face pressed to his chest, just taking in his scent and the solid feel of him. She knew instantly that he really was here; it wasn't an illusion or even the Force Bond connected them. Kylo really was back.
Rey pulled back to look into his eyes and his face came down so that his lips pressed softly to her. Rey hesitated for just a second before burying her hands in his hair and deepening the kiss. Little tiny shocks sparked off through her nervous system as Kylo kissed her back with the same intensity.
When the two separated Rey's face was blazing red and she couldn't exactly meet his gaze. Rey tried to move away but Kylo pulled her back into his embrace. He hugged her tightly with his face pressed to the top of her head.
"I missed you and if I'd have known how much you missed me I would have stayed away longer," Kylo said with a playful edge to his tone. "Don't push it. I was worried that something had happened to you," Rey said into his chest.
Kylo stroked her hair for a second before placing a kiss on top of her head.
"What has Luke told you about this new threat," Kylo asked. "Just that they are coming a lot sooner than Luke and the others thought. He told me to tell you to be careful of whom you deal with. The leader has his eye on the First Order already," Rey said. "That makes sense while on the banking world Niro a man appeared who felt like pure darkness. He didn't attack me but he advised King Tiberius against freeing the First Order of its debts. Then he called me Ben Solo and disappeared into thin air," Kylo said and Rey tensed.
Luke was right. The uncomfortable silence only lasted for a few seconds. Kylo pulled Rey into another hug. He needed the comfort just as much as she did. Rey wondered just how much danger he had been in back there on Niro.
"When did you see Luke last," Kylo asked, changing the subject. "Earlier today before I started my training. Speaking of which something really strange happened," Rey started by Kylo cut her off. "I wanted to see how well your training had gone while I was gone so I decided to put you through two Jedi trials," Kylo said moving to sit at Rey's desk.
Rey stared at him. She didn't think she was anywhere near ready to take on Jedi trials. She said as much.
"You've already passed the Trail of Flesh by enduring the pain and loss of my father and Luke and learning the truth about your parents. You passed the Trail of Spirt when you overcame the darkness that called to you on Ahch-To. Now you've passed the Trail of Courage by facing your deepest darkest moments and taking on Snoke and his demons by yourself. But I am most proud that even after seeing me…kill Han again you still refused to kill me and you were able to see through the illusion presented by the Simulacrum and passed the Trail of Insight," Kylo said with a smile.
Rey felt a surge of pride. The Jedi texts indicated that there were 5 trails and to hear that she had already passed 4 of them with only a little more than 5 months of training made Rey feel really good. Kylo had often told her how powerful she was and could be but this was the first time that she really believed it.
"So now what," Rey asked. "As far as your training? We start combat training with wooden swords and practice sabers. We can start on that tomorrow. Right now I need to go see my council and let them know that we are being targeted. I clouded your meditation with the darkness required for the Trails so that you wouldn't sense my arrival. I wanted to surprise you," Kylo said. "Wait so you came to see me before anyone else," Rey asked and Kylo nodded. "When are you going to realize that you are probably the most important thing in the galaxy to me," Kylo said while staring into her eyes. "I think it's starting to sink in," Rey said with a smile.
A/N: I wanted Rey to be trained and tested in the old ways. What do you think of Snoke's speech and Rey using Kylo's Lightsaber.
As always please review. Let me know if you guys like the direction the story is headed or not. Also I'm trying something different this week. There will still be two chapters just released separately. Look for Kylo's chapter this Friday.