A/n: This is a flashback chapter which will show the death of Nneka, Neji's mother. The next chapter will be back to the main story, of course. Enjoy! Well...I should put a warning that there will be some violence and death in this chapter.
Hesteria and Nneka chuckle as they see Izaiah try to get Neji to settle down. "I need to do your hair for your fifth birthday, brat! Sit already and stay still!" But of course, Neji shakes her head and pouts. "I want mama or aunty to do it, not you! You suck at doing hair!" Izaiah frowns and sighs, "That is not the proper way to speak to your stepfather, child. Geez, going straight to the weak spot huh." Nneka stands up and walks over to the duo, placing a hand on her husband's shoulder. "She is a stubborn one, just give in for now. I can handle it." But Izaiah protests and places a hand over hers.
"But my love, you're due to giving birth at any moment. You should be resting and be pampered, not doing work like this. Neji needs to understand that she can't stress you or the baby out." Izaiah explains, glaring down at the five year old in his lap. Neji looks at her mother, who smiles kindly at her, then she looks down at the large belly. Oh. He is right, mama should be resting for the baby. Neji sighs dramatically and lays her small back against Izaiah's chest, tilting her head backwards to look at him. "Fine, you can do my hair. But don't give me a lousy hairstyle this time."
Izaiah snorts and leans down to kiss her forehead and nose, "Roger that, baby."
He lifts Neji up and into his arms, standing up. He turns and kisses Nneka's cheek, "I love you." Nneka smiles at him sheepishly, blushing a bit. "I love you too." She then turns to Neji and cups both of her daughter's cheeks. "You're going to look so beautiful. Please believe in Izaiah here, my princess." Neji pouts and lays her head on Izaiah's shoulder. "Pray for me and my survival, mama. You too aunty." She says, looking at her aunt.
Izaiah cackles as he walks off with Neji, affectionately calling her 'my clown.'
When the two were out of sight, Nneka goes back to Hesteria, sitting down on the blanket once again. "Those two are adorable." Her sister wraps an arm around Nneka's shoulders and pulls her close. "Just like you snd Izaiah, it took a while but you finally saw the good in him." Nneka shrugs and both sisters lay the side of their heads against one another.
"There is always good in someone, even Izaiah. I was just so hurt from before, I needed time to heal and I wanted our relationship to be as authentic and true as possible. I didn't want to lead him on and only let my lust and loneliness guide my actions. So I wait and told him that if he truly does love me, he should wait for me. And that guy did wait, so I felt ready to move on and we got together. The rest is history. He's an amazing partner and father to Neji. Though she knows that he isn't her actual father, she treats him like he is. Even when she gets on his last nerves." Nneka explains, recalling on the memories of Izaiah being a father, fondly.
The two sisters just sat there silently, watching life passing by them, happily. They bask in the refreshing breeze and the sounds of children laughing, talking, playing, and so on. Their noses tickle excitedly at the scent of garlic bread, soup, various types of meat, and more. Sometime pass, and they return to their senses at the sound of Neji calling for Nneka. The leader watches as her daughter twirls and shows off her hair. Which was a high bun-afro hairdo with braided waves all over on her scalp. Her edges are styled and laid out securely, like ocean waves. Neji pouts cutely though, complaining that Izaiah made her take a bath and get ready for the party earlier than expected before doing her hair. "He went off schedule." She says, shaking her head in disappointment.
But Nneka sees that her daughter's skin is clear, soft, and glowing. She looks radiant. Her gold, silky dress and the golden bead clips attached the braids make her look even more like the princess she is. "You have to admit, Neji. Izaiah did amazing in styling your outfit and your hair. Now, what do you have to say to him?" Neji huffs and turns around, looking at Izaiah with furrowed eyebrows. "Thank you," she turns back around to face her mom, "there mama, I said it." Izaiah smalls softly and pats her shoulders with both hands. "You're welcome child." He looks at Nneka and signals to her to stand up.
"Come on love, you and the baby have to eat now," he sees his wife's face and cuts her off before she got a word in, "and NO. It doesn't matter that the celebration is soon, you will eat regardless. You and the baby need your fuel and nutrition. Now, let's go. No more complaints."
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(A/n: Kudos and credit for the actual writer(s) of the lyrics below *some of lyrics that are shown below*!)
"Lord, you are good, and your mercy endureth foreverr...Lord, you are good, and your mercy endureth foreverr..."
The campfire in the middle of the village was huge and fierce, illuminating the night sky along with the sprinkles of stars. Dancers with beads around their waists shake them fiercely, gracefully swirling their arms all around. One arm up, and one arm to the right. Twirl the hands for a few seconds before bringing both arms down and directing them to the left and right quickly. Some dancers are jumpers and gliders. Letting their long, colorful skirts do the work.
"People from every nation and tongue, from generation to generation..."
A dancer gently takes Neji's hands and brings her close to join the performance, twirling her around and lightly throw her to the other ones.
"We worship you! Hallelujah, Hallelujah! We worship you, for who you areeee! We worship you! Hallelujah, Hallelujah! We worship you, for who you areeeee..!"
Izaiah swoops in and takes Neji, putting her on his shoulders. Nneka appears in a long and beautiful rose gold dress with her hair braided in a high ponytail. Four fake gold butterflies are securely clipped around the front of the crown of her head. She comes in, holding a half chocolate and half vanilla cake covered in cookies and cream frosting. Neji's favorite type of dessert. She bounces in Izaiah's arms and cheers as people start singing happy birthday to her.
Nneka is followed by Hesteria, who is holding a big box full of gifts from the community. Izaiah brings Neji to her table, where the cake is put in front of her and the box next to her. Neji giggles and thanks everyone when the song ended. She grabs her own plate and set of utensils, getting ready to eat some cake.
Until she suddenly felt her head being pulled back before her face slamming hard against the wood of the table, causing her nose to bleed. Nneka glares to her left before her eyes widen in shock. She sharply turns to Izaiah and Hesteria. "You two get Neji and get out of here, quick! He's back!" Izaiah was confused and concerned, but Hesteria knew right away who her sister was referring to, and did what she ask. Grabbing Neji and running as fast as she can away from the villagers and the incoming threat.
"Hmm, who did I get? Let's see," the figure tilts their head to the side but doesn't see or sense anyone hurt in the area at least, "awwww mannn. My force signature is acting iffy again, I didn't actually got anyone this time. Oh well, I can always try again." Suddenly, they look up when Izaiah glares and snarls at them.
The figure snorts and looks on in amusement, "Ooh, you must be a tough guy, huh."
"Show yourself, now!" Izaiah roars out furiously, stabbing a random long spike he found into the ground.
It took a minute, but the figure finally came in the dark, revealing their all black suit and helmet, along with a red lightsaber glowing brightly. Nneka glares at them, stepping slightly forward and in front of her husband. She would rather have this person target only her than everyone else.
"...Anakin."
The figure takes off his helmet and puts on a breathing mask, revealing his identity. "..Nneka..."
She crosses her arms, "So you're alive and well, right here in the flesh?"
"That I am." Anakin answers swiftly.
Nneka tilts her head to the side, "You know that you're not welcome here anymore, right?"
"Ohhhh, of course you would take a page out of the Jedi book, going back on one or most of your values." He scoffs and retorts sarcastically.
He then looks down slightly and finally notices her belly, "So you let another guy have intercourse with you and get you pregnant. I see. What a shame..."
"If you don't leave at this moment, you will be dealt with." Nneka warns, her patience running low.
Suddenly, a male voice roars out and a spear comes into view, just passing Nneka and Anakin by a hair. It stabs through the ground, creating mini dust clouds from the impact. Nneka freezes and turns her head around to the back of her, seeing Izaiah running towards Anakin. "Izaiah, NO!" She yells out frantically, but he refuses to listen. When he got close enough, he did a high kick slightly under Anakin's chin, snapping his head back. Izaiah gives off an annoyed 'tch,' seeing that Anakin didn't drop dead but is still in pain. "Damn it, I wasn't hard enough to kill him!" Anakin fixes his jaw and tilts his head side to side and all around, cracking some bones and becoming comfortable again.
"That's the only hit you're going to get on me, goodbye."
Izaiah's eyes suddenly pop out and his hands flew to his neck as he rises slightly into the air. Nneka bores her eyes into Anakin, "Let. Him. Go." She seethes out. Anakin smiles sheepishly and shakes his head. "My master told me that I must eradicate any surviving Jedi and force user throughout the galaxy. So, I came here. You are a force user, I know. But I sense someone else is a force user as well. So once I'm done here, I will go look for them." He focuses back on Izaiah and turns his curled hand slightly around before tilting it to the right.
Crack! Splat!
He drops Izaiah recklessly to the ground, who is now dead. His neck is mangled, crushed and displaced. His eyes, mouth, and head are slowly bleeding out. Anakin kicks and scrapes the ground, sending pebbles and sandy dirt onto the body. The ultimate disrespect and cruelty. On the inside, Nneka screams and wails, falling onto her knees in despair. However, on the outside, she looks like she's feeling as cool as a cucumber. Not letting Anakin win by giving him a reaction. But she does give a warning.
"If not right now, then someday, you will pay for what you did here and anywhere else on your 'quest.' That, I promise you."
Anakin snickers, not taking her seriously.
"IZAIAH...DADDY! NO!"
Anakin's eyes suddenly bulges out as he feels his neck being squeezed tightly. He rises up a bit and choked a bit longer before thrown to and crashing on some hard wooded trees.
"No child! What in the hell are you doing?! Come now, it's not safe for you!"
"THAT BAD MAN HURT DADDY! WHO IS HE?! LEMME AT EM' AND ANYONE ELSE WHO IS A MEANIE AND HURT PEOPLE I LOVE!"
"Ne-I mean, sweetie, you gotta go and be safe, your daddy would want that."
Soon, the two voices disappear, out of sight and mind. Heading towards safety once more. Anakin slowly gets up and pierces his eyes in the direction of where the force signature once was.
He is beyond pissed and changes his voice, or rather, his tone into one that is menacing, cold, and lack any humanity. Darth Vader is back fully.
"Was that my child? The one...who did that move on me?" He seethes out coldly, glaring at Nneka. She smirks, but it lacks any warmth or humor to it. She retorts back in a cold manner as well, "Why would I tell you if that's your child? Remember, you left because you was tired with me and wanted to be with your wife. Who you betrayed! You deceived me and made me madly in love you to the point that, which I admit I was wrong and I have full remorse for this, I became crazy and obsessed with you! That I put all my self love and worth onto your shoulders! I naively let myself be drawn to your looks and charms, and...never mind. You're no long worth the breath from my body and soul. Worthless." She gathers as much strength and saliva as she could, using full force to successfully spit on Darth Vader's cheek. He smears it off his face with his gloved right hand in disgust.
"That action will be your last."
The remaining people look in horror as half of their leader's body slides out of place diagonally, red rain spraying everywhere at all sorts of distances. The lower half falls forward. That is where the people start to let out blood curling screams, running away from Darth Vader as far and fast as they can. "Nuh uh, not so fast." He spends the next twenty minutes making the village rain red. An outsider, far away but with good eyes, looks on fearfully and paints as much of the scene as possible. That is where the painting "Red World" came from. This horrific massacre. Barely anyone survived except for two little babies. Nneka's twins, fully developed but not yet born, not properly anyway. Somehow, they survive the slashes of the lightsaber that killed their mother, and are breathing on their own.
Darth Vader observes the helpless babies and shrugs, "I did something like this before...but I will leave them be. If they die, they die. If they life, then they live. Unless they pose a threat to me sometimes in the future." With that, he turns around and walks away. He passes some soldiers assigned to him, ordering them to scope the area for survivors but leave the babies alone. "I trust that all of you will listen and do the right thing. Am I clear?" He asks at the end.
"Yes Lord Vader."
The group of soldiers disperse while Darth Vader goes inside his ship, flying away. The smile that is gracing his lips immediately melts away. "...I did a bad thing, and I'm still drenched in blood. I just ruined these seats, haven't I?" He takes a slow deep breath. "I let my emotions get the best of me, I need to calm down next time."
Meanwhile, back at the village, everything was burning to the ground. A soldier looks around and squats down to pick up the twin babies. He stands up and walks over to a discarded chair. He sets them down for a moment, going inside his shirt. He digs around for a bit before ripping off a tracking device. Crushing it with his foot. He also takes out a pocket knife and takes a deep breath, cutting a little bit of the side of his neck. He hisses in pain as he puts the tip inside, probing around. He finds some strings that felt like wires and then a (now) loose chip, slowly pulling it out along with the wires attached. He throws it to the ground and also crushes it, destroying it into little pieces. He takes out an aid kit and treats his wound, stitching the injured area. He puts his pocket knife away and turns to pick up the twins again.
"Okay boys...here is what we will do, run for freedom. Let's try out!"
He runs with them, shushing the twins here and there.
Guess what?
He succeeds in escaping with the babies. Enjoy life soldier, enjoy life.