Author's Note: I love a good vague title, don't you?
Sorry this one is a little short, but... it has to be because... plot. Also. We are running out of chapters.
Reviews:
xXSpades231Xx: Seriously! This dude needs to figure his shit out! And fast! Ash is getting her shit together, why can't he?! AND THANK YOU FOR THE RANDOM CAPS SPAM!
BookL0ver1998: :D Thank you! I'm taking ridiculous liberties when it comes to Kylo Ren and his story. I really just hate sticking to canon I guess!
CrystalDragonMaster: Thank you! Like I said above, I'm taking some crazy liberties with him now and it's kind-of nerve wracking because I want him in character still! Hopefully it pays off!
Jibby07: Huzzah! Glad you're still here!
Remember to review! I feel like I say that a lot. Idk, it's this weird crisis of not knowing how this story is doing and wanting to know what you guys think of it. Either way, thank you guys to those who do take the time to review, it doesn't go unnoticed or unappreciated. It's the only way this story is getting finished, y'all are my inspiration here!
Fire. The smell of smoke and faulty electrical wires took over her senses as her eyes fluttered open. She was staring at the onyx throne; it was empty. Snoke's severed body lied motionless on the floor as she continued to look around at the absence of life. Death; decay, it was all the same. They were dead, she had come to accept that now. The scattered bodies of the Praetorian Guards, a sight she was growing all too familiar with. However, who would be dead among the Force Users this time? Ash didn't want to know.
Nightmares had a sick and twisted way of bringing out their cruelty. They didn't care to keep any sanity or any peace. Instead, the Force nightmares seemed to just deal out the worst as they came. This time, it was unexpected.
Ash walked forward to the throne, his fingers tracing the cool, stone finish as she eyed it a little longer. Without much thought or care, she slowly lowered herself onto the chair. The feeling of power and corruption blinding her. No, Ash wasn't lost in the ignorance of it. Ash was loving it. The immeasurable power that surged as her eyes fixed on the scene before her.
"Starshine." Her head snapped up; her now amber eyes locking onto the only man that stood. He was amused. Amused? Amused over what, Ash wasn't certain. However, his heavy steps took him forward and towards her. "I told you that you'd come to love it-" He began, stepping closer and now walking behind the dark chair. "The power; the way it feels." She listened, remaining unmoved as he walked around the chair again, now standing to the side of it as he looked down at her. "We're going to change everything…"
The Throne Room began to change in front of her. The body count growing. Ash could hear their screams echoing throughout the room. The sound of lightsabers running through flesh. They were dead. They were all dead as the pile of bodies grew and the faces of those she knew stood out among the wreck. Rey, Poe, Leia, Finn; Resistance members and Ascension all the same. The body count stacking up higher and higher as Ash let the power consume her.
This was where she belonged.
There was a knock on the apartment door; a somewhat assertive knock, as Ash jolted awake. While grateful that she was pulled out of that nightmare, she also didn't take too kindly at the sound of it before hiding under the large, black comforter and groaning. The door slid open after the fourth knock as heavier boot steps entered. "I was instructed to make sure you went back to Crait this morning." Her commanding voice was hard to ignore.
"Can't you knock quieter?" Ash snapped slightly, it was mostly from being overly tired. Oh, and the fact that her husband was losing his goddamn mind, and let's not forget that awful nightmare. But, who was to really point blame on one thing here.
"I did. I also don't knock more than four times, it's degrading for a Captain to do." She snapped right back. Stars knew she wasn't going to be taking anyone's shit today. Everyone was on edge for similar reasons.
Ash sighed, feeling bad as she sat up, looking at the unamused expression of Phasma. "I'm sorry." She mumbled. "I've got a lot on my mind right now." She did. Her fears were only confirmed when she projected across the stars to Kylo Ren. She knew in the very depths of her being what his plan was. He was going to take over for Snoke; and while she should have trusted him, her nightmare was telling her otherwise.
Phasma smirked slightly, showing a small sign that there was no harm done. "Already? You just woke up."
"Seems to be a reoccurring thing as of late." Ash replied, before looking at Phasma with a slight intensity. "How long have you know?"
"About?"
"His plan to take over after we kill Snoke." Phasma's expression gave nothing, but Ashlyn didn't need to see it. She felt it. It was like getting caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
"I'm not sure what you-"
Ash let out an exasperated sigh. "Phasma, I can get into your thoughts. Don't make me do that." She all but threatened.
Phasma was taken back by Ashlyn's ultimatum. Ash had never done something like that before. Hell, Ashlyn hated prying into people's minds and yet with that desperation to do so just to get an answer… it frightened Phasma to a very small degree. "We weren't allowed to tell you."
"Why?" Ash was practically pleading for an answer. "Are you guys even really working with the Resistance or just giving them a false sense of security so he can get into power and you can just slaughter them in the night?"
Phasma frowned at the accusation. "You know that's not it."
"Do I?" Ash asked. "Because right now, I don't really trust what I know anymore. My husband wants to become the Supreme Leader and I don't think any of us know what that truly means."
"Yes, he wants to become the Supreme Leader, but not for the reasons you think." Phasma explained; her tone harsh. "He will be working very closely with General Organa and others to create a new governing power so that there can no longer be a dictator in power."
Ash exhaled sharply. "Leia knew this too?"
Phasma hated lying to Ashlyn; if it were anyone else she would have done so without much question. But, Ashlyn was different. She had come to know her and appreciated what she had done for Kylo Ren. "He was afraid if you knew, it would upset the balance within you."
Ash swallowed hard, the revelation of Kylo Ren hiding something else from her, after all of this was a lot. Granted, he may have had his reasoning. But, Ash was tired of his reasons. They didn't make the situation any better. "I need to get to Crait."
"I will accompany you down-"
"I'd rather you didn't."
Phasma gave her best sympathetic smile. "You're the wife of the future Supreme Leader; you can't just go off and do things on your own anymore."
Ash felt a bitter taste in her mouth as she hated the way her new title sounded. Assuming it and talking about it had two very different feelings. "Watch me."
"Please don't make this any harder than it has to be, Ash." What Phasma was not explaining to Ash, was that this was more out of a concern for her protection from Kylo Ren. Phasma and Hux had begun to watch the insanity unravel within Kylo Ren, something was different. With that, they silently made the decision to keep an eye on Ashlyn going forward. A reservation that she would never admit to Ashlyn, all this considered.
All of this wasn't Phasma's fault. Ash knew that. Phasma meant well, at least, she tried to mean well as best she could with the resources she was given. But, that didn't mean Ashlyn had to cooperate. "Let me get dressed. Can I meet you in the debriefing room with Hux?" She asked, her voice small. "I just want to ask you both a few things first."
Hesitantly, Phasma nodded. "I will meet you there." Without another word, she left the apartment and went to the debriefing room. She'd contact Hux once there; although a part of her was concerned as to what Ash wanted to speak to them about.
Ash knew she didn't have much time before Phasma figured it out. Quickly, she dressed and grabbed her lightsaber. She was not going to be cooperative, not until she had a nice long and angry screaming match with her husband when he returned. Okay, she would first wait and talk to him about his whole battle-with-the-darkness-thing. But, after that, she was going to kick his ass.
For now, she needed to get off the destroyer without an escort and without alerting the higher-ups. Ashlyn Solo would be damned is she ever surrendered to being the wife of the new Supreme Leader without at least kicking and screaming along the way.
Hux walked into the debriefing room, looking at Phasma with a mix of adoration and also exhaustion. "Any idea what she wants to meet about?"
"She knows about Ren's plan to take over the Supreme Leader's role, I can only assume it has something to do with that." Phasma said with aggravation.
Hux's lips pursed. "She knows?"
"Apparently." Phasma shrugged. "I don't think he said anything."
"How could he? He disappeared into the galaxy somewhere." Hux replied with disdain over the recent events. "Speaking of our troublemaking Leader; have we heard from him?"
"Negative." Phasma replied.
"And his slightly less troublemaking wife?" Hux asked.
Before Phasma could reply, Brass's voice echoed over the commlink in the debrief room. "Hey, uh-" He stammered. "Did you two clear the missus for takeoff by herself?"
Hux and Phasma exchanged glances as Phasma audibly groaned. "I take that back. His just as, if not more so, troublemaking wife." Hux retorted before replying to Brass. "When did she leave?"
"Uhhh-" Brass began. "Just now."
"I'm going to kill her if I don't kill him first." Phasma growled, knowing if Ash for some reason got hurt in the process, it would be her ass chewed out by Kylo Ren.
"Dear, that's treason." Hux reminded her dutifully, yet smirking. He was amused at the entire situation that Phasma was so easily played by Ashlyn. Tricking Phasma was not something that ever really happened. "Shall you go down or I?"
"Send Brass." Phasma grumbled, still clearly angry.
"Brass, did you get that?" Hux called out.
"Boarding now." Brass confirmed as the commlink disconnected.
Ash wasted no time after docking (albeit a bumpy landing) before racing out of the ship. While, this looked ridiculously suspicious for any onlookers, only one had dared to say anything as he caught up to her. "Rough morning, First Order?"
Ash exhaled, her heart racing in her chest as she tried to regain her breath. She shook her head at the pilot. "You could say that."
Poe frowned, realizing something else was going on. "What happened?"
She wanted to say; she wanted to tell him everything. But, for some reason… she didn't. A piece of her, a piece that was loyal to her husband; that same little speck of hope that maybe blindly trusting him with half the things he did, would ultimately end up good. It blinded her, it misguided her, it ultimately ignited her struggle. Instead, Ashlyn chose to keep it to herself, to keep all her reservations to herself and offer a very convincing smile. "I'm late for my first day training." She lied, forcing a laugh. "I don't want Luke to think I'm not serious about saving the galaxy and all that."
Slightly unconvinced, Poe nodded. "Well, he's in the mines with Rey. I can take you to them."
She shook her head. "No need, I can find them."
Before Ash could get away, Poe gently reached for her wrist, grabbing it to stop her. "Ash, are you sure everything's okay?"
She looked at him, her smile faltering just enough to give away that something was not as it seemed. Yet, Ash would never tell, at least not now. "Everything's fine. But, I have to train now, Poe."
Unsatisfied, but knowing there was nothing he could do, Poe let go of the girl's wrist. Ash took the opportunity, before he could ask anymore questions, to head for the mines just as Brass's ship touched down.
Poe watched as Ash ran off, leaving a whirlwind of questions as she disappeared deeper into the base. Those questions growing even more when Brass walked over to Poe, nodding at him. "Morning, Commander."
Poe muttered a 'good morning' back, only to frown when he realized Brass was there. "Wait, now why the heck are you here?"
"Making sure the missus is okay." Brass informed him without too much attention to the matter.
"So, she's not okay?" Poe asked, following after him. Brass shrugged, not giving anything more for Poe to go on as he continued after her. Poe realized he was following Ash then and quickly sped up to cut him off, stopping him from going any further. "If Ash isn't okay and she's upset about something, the best thing to do is not follow her. That'll make her run." Brass made a face at that notion. "Trust me, I've seen her do it before."
Unhappily, Brass agreed with a curt nod towards Poe. "Alright, Commander. We'll wait for her to come to us."
"And while I have you-" Poe began. "I've got some questions."
Brass beamed. "You know I can't answer anything deemed too confidential."
Poe was a smart man, he was also very charming and could charm his way out of anything. He returned with his own dazzling smile. "C'mon, Brass. Thought we were friends now."
"Friends don't force other friends to tell their secrets."
"So, there are secrets?"
Brass clicked his tongue to the roof of his mouth, eyeing Poe Dameron suspiciously as he forced a sarcastic smile now. "You know, if you ever want to work for the Ascension-"
"Nah, I'm happy here." Poe explained. "But for now, you and I still need to have a chat." The two began their struggle then to see who could win in this game of chess. One of them was bound to crack first.
Ash stopped running once she entered the safety of the salt mines of Crait. She was finally no longer within reach of Poe, the Resistance, or the Ascension. She was finally alone. With a long sigh, she paused her journey to meet with Rey and Luke and instead chose to rest against the salt wall next to her. Her back flush against it as she stared up at the natural ceiling of the salt mine.
A part of her, whether a more dormant or ignorant part, knew this was what was going to happen. It made sense, he never really hid his lust for power, let alone deny it either. They had had this conversation before on StarKiller; a talk on politics and his desire to take over. She just chose to ignore it, this was her own fault in a way.
Maybe she would have been okay with it had she not had that dream; the dream that showed her if he became Supreme Leader then she would fall to the darkness with him. She would be the direct cause of the body count that lied before her. It was one of many outcomes and perhaps it wasn't even the outcome. Maybe there was an outcome where he could become the next Supreme Leader and everything would work out in the end. That notion still didn't make her feel any better.
She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply through her nostrils. She looked like she was in pain; in some sense, she was. What did she do about Kylo Ren? "Even though I'm so far away, I can still feel your distress from across the galaxy." For once, she wished she didn't hear that baritone voice.
"Now you're doing it?" Her eyes still shut tightly as she asked, not wanting to look at him.
"You don't get to have all the fun." Did he always have to be so smug about it? "What's wrong?"
Her top teeth raked over her bottom lip nervously as she finally opened her eyes, her head leaning ever so slightly to the right to look at him. "I don't want to be the wife of the new Supreme Leader. I want to be the wife of Ben Solo."
Ren's projection frowned; contemplatively. "And what if they're the same person?"
Her lips parted as she stared at him, uncertain about what it is she really wanted and what she needed. "I don't know. But, I absolutely hate the lying and the deception and the-"
He interrupted her. "You've known, Ash." He challenged. "A part of you has always known." She had. A part of her had known. But, was that really the point here? Sure, she was just as much at fault when push came to shove.
"And if it corrupts me the way it corrupts you?" Her question was bold; daring even. "What if we become exactly what we set out to destroy?"
Suddenly, it clicked in Kylo Ren's mind and his stubborn cruelty reached the surface as he smirked just enough to make her want to reach through the Force and punch it off his face. "You had a nightmare, didn't you?" She didn't respond. "What did you see?" He asked again. "What kind of monster did I become for you this time?"
Ash shook her head, denying that notion as she looked away from him and back up at the salt mine ceiling. "Not you." She answered. "Me. I was the monster." Ren said nothing as he watched his wife become torn up over it. Not just the dream, but her new status, everything. And while she had finally come to accept and move on from the past, the new stress was weighing her down. And not just her, but everyone. He could feel it, even being so far away. Hell, even he was feeling it. "Are you coming back yet?"
"Not yet." He answered softly.
Ash closed her eyes again, feeling the tug on her soul, knowing Kylo Ren was no longer projecting anymore. He had his own issues to deal with, she saw that last night. Yet, right now, it felt like every bit of this crazy plan was falling apart. Time was running out and everyone was a mess. A complete and total mess.
"Ash?" A new voice; a beacon of hope radiating through the darkness that was pooling around Ashlyn as she opened her eyes to see her concerned friend that had found her. "We've been waiting for you; we need to start training." Rey's voice was soft, calming even as she looked at the torn up red head. "Everything okay?" She noticed, Ash was alone. "Where is Kylo Ren?"
"He had some things to take care of." Ash explained, not exactly lying or telling the truth, as she removed herself from the wall. "But, I'm ready to train."
Rey was uncertain about a lot of things as of late, her new Force abilities, Kylo Ren and his plans… and now Ashlyn. She was hiding something. She could sense it. Yet, something inside was telling her that whatever Ashlyn was dealing with, was directly caused by the man in question. Either way, she was going to find out. But, for right now, she was going to be a good friend and not push the question further. Instead, she silently nodded and lead Ashlyn to Luke Skywalker.
Returning to his body, after projecting and reaching out to Ashlyn, Kylo Ren collapsed to his knees; coughing. He began gagging as a cold sweat started to bead on his forehead. He was winded, losing air rapidly as he desperately tried to cling to oxygen. The sweet and burning feeling all at once in his chest as he gasped loudly.
He hadn't strained himself by reaching out; he knew that. No, this was the darkness reaching up and pulling him down. An invisible force pressing on his chest and threatening to concave his ribs in and stop this all now. He wouldn't give in so easily, yet, a small creeping part in the back of his mind desperately wanted to.
Ren collapsed to his side with a thud, his breathing still jagged and labored as his hair matted to his sweat covered face. He was burning up; feverish. 'So weak-' The familiar, raspy voice echoed in his mind. 'A child wanting to play pretend. A child who will never harness the true power of the dark side. A child who will never measure up to be like the once great Darth Vader.' Ren forced himself to his knees again, his body convulsing as he did. He was going to be sick; he could feel it burning the back of his throat. 'It's going to consume you. Like a wildfire, you're going to burn in the flames of it. It's going to destroy everything in your path-' The voice chuckled; a sickly and cruel chuckle. 'And it's going to bring her down with you.'
Kylo Ren emptied what little contents of his stomach onto the wood floor; heaving, breathless and losing this battle. 'Such a frightened boy. Such a pity.'
A low growl escaped Ren's lips as he stumbled to his feet, his hand outstretched for his saber as it flew across the room and into his grasp. The cackle and hiss of the distorted blade echoing in the room as he clutched it tightly. "I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU!" He shouted at nothing. "I AM GOING TO END THIS. END YOU. AND WHEN I DO I WILL DESTROY EVERYTHING YOU WORKED SO HARD TO BUILD."
The voice chuckled again. 'So you can be just like me in the end? Foolish child, you know you won't survive this. Ben Solo will not survive this. You'll succumb to the temptations of the power; the control. It's already begun and soon, you won't be able to tell the difference between who I was and who you've become.'
He screamed; a guttural scream from the depths of his being. Anger, rage, hate, passion and pain; it was all building up and ripping him apart from the inside. Collapsing to his knees again, his lightsaber dropping from his grasp as he heaved a few more times.
A sudden and eerie calmness taking over his being as the darkness finally settled in; consuming and taking over. Ben Solo was gone; pushed back to a very small corner of his being, and only Kylo Ren remained. A new Kylo Ren; one that was only fueled by his hatred and anger; one that wasn't held back by any remains of Ben Solo. The raging fire that burned within him set out to consume everything.
Final Thoughts: So... uh... how about Ash being a bad guy and threatening Phasma? Oh... and the fact that Kylo Ren is going to be a fucking monster? Yeesh. This is going to get painful. Did I mention I wrote the ending to this story? Yeah... this is gonna be fun. Anyway, remember to review and see y'all in the next chapter!