* Reviews and constructive criticism are always welcomed.

The Stone

Mandalorians were silent by nature and necessity. For all their armor, both heavy and light, their footsteps had to be near silent. They were warriors, soldiers, and hunters, just as much as they were prey themselves. Being quick on one's feet was sometimes the difference between life and death. Aside from other Mandalorians and Grogu, Din had never met another being as silent as him.

The next morning, when Ahsoka appeared beside him out of nowhere, he was already removing his blaster. "Dank farrik," he snapped at her as he holstered it, causing Grogu to jolt awake.

She snorted. "Didn't catch you off-guard, did I?"

From beneath his helmet, he rolled his eyes as he stood up, transferring Grogu to one arm. The kid babbled happily upon seeing Ahsoka, who smiled widely at him. Seeing there was no danger, he comfortably settled backwards in Din's hold. Though Ashoka continued smiling, a crease formed between her eyes as she looked between him and Din.

Din tilted his head at her. However, she didn't answer his silent question. Instead, she nodded for him to follow her towards the gully. It was a semi-open space that was slightly inclined. If water ever existed on this planet, it would've ran downhill to here.

Grogu made a series of babbles. Again, it sounded like wordless sentences. And it caused both Ahsoka and Din to look at him.

Playfully, she tapped Grogu's nose. "Let's see what knowledge is lurking inside that little mind."

He cooed at her.

She gestured for Din to set him down while she searched for something on the ground.

Din listened to more of his babbles as he placed him on a boulder, trying to make sense of them. The kid didn't sound frantic. In fact, he sounded more eager than anything. Before letting him go completely, Din patted his back reassuringly. And he didn't leave his side until he saw that Ahsoka was ready.

Several feet away, she was holding a small stone. She opened her palm to show it to Grogu. Then, she pushed it towards him. That was the only way to really describe it. When she pushed her palm outward, the stone floated away. It drifted through the air like a leaf on a river's surface.

Din looked on, transfixed.

It stopped once inside Grogu's outstretched hands. He chattered excitedly, staring at it before looking up at Ahsoka.

She held her hand out. "Now return the stone to me, Grogu."

Din almost scoffed, nearly feeling insulted by such a small task, despite the request not being directed at him. This wasn't a mudhorn, and Grogu had made quick work of that. Throwing a stone should be easy.

Grogu blinked a little, looking listlessly between the stone and Ahsoka.

Din flexed his jaw. "He doesn't understand," he assumed.

"He does," she said.

Grogu whined a little.

Her hand stayed in the air. "It's okay," she assured him. "The stone, Grogu."

Grogu's eyes flitted to Din, who nodded encouragingly in Ahsoka's direction. Sometimes words confused him, but not gestures, and Din knew that he understood. Grogu's eyes then squinted. His ears were drooping.

The stone fell from his grasp, tumbling over the charred earth. Din exhaled. He could do this. Why was he hesitating like this?

Patiently, Ahsoka retrieved the stone and knelt down in front of Grogu. He was staring at the ground, as if he didn't want to look anyone in the eye. Even as she grasped his hand, he didn't look up. She sighed, and her eyes fell shut.

"I sense much fear in you," she whispered to Grogu.

This alarmed Din. Fear? That couldn't be it. Not once had Grogu ever seemed afraid when using his powers. She had to be misreading something.

She stood up, released his hand, and walked back to the place she'd originally been standing, passing Din as she went. "He's hidden his abilities to survive over the years."

Din looked at Grogu, who stared back at him with uncertainty. It never really occurred to Din that he could use his powers any time, and that there was a reason to use them sparingly. Unfortunately, it made sense. An infant with extraordinary powers would stick out like a sore thumb. And he knew what it was like to feel the need to hide. The covert was evidence of that.

Still, something caught in his throat, and it felt like sorrow, mixed with his fierce protectiveness. Grogu's powers were clearly a part of him. For him to feel forced to hide them, himself, for his own safety and well-being…Din couldn't stand that. The kid didn't deserve that.

"Let's try something else," Ahsoka suddenly said, looking at Grogu. "Come over here."

Grogu looked at Din again, this time a little more pointedly. Din interpreted it wrong, and once again gave him a nod of encouragement, telling him to listen to her. Only, he didn't budge from the boulder.

"He's stubborn," Din mentioned expectedly.

"Not him," Ahsoka said. "You."

Din stared at her.

"I want to see if he'll listen to you," she clarified.

He almost shrugged as he stood in Ashoka's place. "That would be a first."

"I like firsts," she commented. "Good or bad, they're always memorable." She handed the stone to him, and gave him clear instructions. Or at least, what he thought was clear enough.

"Alright, kid," he said, holding out his palm. "Lift the stone."

After a second, Ahsoka grinned a little. "Grogu," she clarified to Din, and with a hint of snark.

He didn't know whether to feel annoyed or grateful for the reminder. Instead, he put all his focus on the task at hand. "Grogu," he said, causing the kid to coo inquisitively. "Come on," he urged. "Take the stone."

Decidedly, Grogu looked down at the ground.

Din struggled to keep the frustration out of his voice. "You see," he said to Ahsoka, throwing the stone away. "I told you he's stubborn."

Ahsoka's voice was soft. "Try to connect with him."

For whatever reason, her words, those specific words, offended him. Honestly, he had no idea what this test was even supposed to prove, or what it had to with being a Jedi. He certainly didn't blame the kid, especially if fear was playing a factor. He trusted Ahsoka, yes, but they were getting nowhere.

And they had come all this way.

Din looked at Grogu, and the uncertainty had yet to leave those large eyes. Din felt a pang in his chest. He allowed his impatience and questioning to fade. If something was truly frightening him, preventing him from using his powers, then he needed to solve it. They couldn't give up now.

He wouldn't let the kid give up.

Din took a deep breath. He couldn't talk with him the way that a Jedi could. He couldn't perform incredible feats of magic. But he knew how to communicate with him. A Jedi didn't have to instruct him on that.

From an ammo pouch, he brought out the little silver ball. He fidgeted it between his fingers, hoping this small object of such great importance to him would be enough.

"Grogu," he said, holding it up for him to see. He knelt down to be at eye-level with him. "Do you want this?"

Instantly, Grogu raised one of his hands. However, his eyes stayed wide open, which told Din that he wasn't using the Force just yet.

"Well, go ahead," he encouraged, his voice dropping softly at some point.

Grogu's head tilted from side to side.

Ahsoka was right, admittedly. This wasn't stubbornness. It was hesitancy. Din didn't stop to speculate whatever horrors brought the kid to that type of fear. All he knew was that they were getting somewhere, and that the fear was slowly starting to leave his foundling's eyes. His hand rose higher.

"Come on," Din said. "You can have it. Come on."

Grogu's eyes squinted.

Normally, it took him a moment to use his powers. But this time, maybe the object being so small made it easier on him.

Against Din's fingers there was a rush of wind. Like a change in air pressure or a sudden pull of gravity.

Nearly as fast as a podracer, the ball flew from his grip, landing in the palm of Grogu's hand.

Din stood up so fast he almost stumbled backwards.

He had seen it plenty of times before what he was capable of. And it never ceased to amaze him. But to feel the rush of energy, to understand what it took to accomplish something so little, was downright amazing.

"Good job," he exclaimed, unable to keep his proud smile at bay. "Good job, kid! You see that," he told Ahsoka. He approached Grogu, elated at what the kid had just accomplished. He knelt down in front of him. "That's right," he praised as he gently took the ball from him. "I knew you could do it. Very good."

Grogu looked up at him calmly, cooing and trilling, and with no trace of uncertainty in his eyes anymore. Din was glad. It was how it should be. He shouldn't fear his own powers, or any consequences of using them.

"He's formed a strong attachment to you."

Din looked at Ahsoka when he heard her say this. Her expression was extremely unreadable. A neutrality that could rival a Mandalorian's.

Din felt tiny claws trying to take the ball back. Putting his attention back on Grogu, he allowed him to play with it. He held it for him, in case he got tired and had to drop it. Catching a ball didn't seem like an ordeal, but using the Force had a habit of making him drowsy.

"I cannot train him."

The exhilaration of the moment was gone.

"What," Din nearly snapped, not wanting to believe what he had just heard. Completely taken aback, it took him less than a few strides until he was standing in front of Ahsoka. "Why not," he demanded. "You've seen what he can do."

She wasn't fazed by the way he slowly stormed towards her. "His attachment to you makes him vulnerable to his fears. His anger."

Din absolutely didn't see it that way. None of what she said made sense to him whatsoever. He pointed his open hand towards Grogu. "All the more reason to train him."

"No," she denied, and stepped closer to him. "I've seen what such feelings can do to a fully trained Jedi Knight." Her eyes were unblinking. "To the best of us."

Din didn't understand Jedi at all. But he understood what it was like to be haunted by something. And he knew, for at least a second, that Ahsoka was recalling a ghost from her past. Maybe even multiple ghosts. It was something he wouldn't wish on anyone.

She looked at Grogu. "I will not start this child down that path. Better to let his abilities fade." She walked away. "I've delayed too long. I must get back to the village."

Grogu was watching everything, and he whined as he watched her go. It wasn't a scared noise he was making, but one that was heavy with confusion and some despair.

Din couldn't accept what was happening. His foundling needed this.

His hands balled into fists. "The Magistrate sent me to kill you."

Ahsoka stopped in her tracks. And she turned to look at him.

"I didn't agree to anything," he added. "And I'll help you with your problem. If you see to it that Grogu is properly trained."


At this point in history, both Mandalorians and Jedi were on the brink of extinction. Fighting each other, as well as others, had seen to that. It was not often that they worked together, almost in perfect synchronicity, as if their people had never fought each other in the first place.

That night, before dawn could even breach the horizon, Ahsoka and Din returned to the town, sneaking in by the cover of darkness. They freed the civilians from the cages. They dispatched the oppressive guards and the gunfighters. Ahsoka overthrew the Magistrate, allowing the original ruler to take his town back.

Morning came around, and festivities and rejoicing commenced. The smoky air blotted the sun, but even then everything seemed much brighter.

Ahsoka was gripping the beskar staff, the same one that the Magistrate was willing to give up in exchange for her death. She held it out towards Din. "I believe this," she said with a cheeky grin. "was your payment."

Any other instance, he would have rightfully taken the staff, either for himself or for his long-gone covert. Instead, he shook his head. "No. I can't accept. I didn't finish the job."

"No," she agreed. "But this belongs with a Mandalorian."

She was right, of course, almost sage-like in her inflection. He took it, out of the respect that he held for her. It was pretty much the only reason. Aside from the fact that it was weaponized beskar, he truly didn't know what use he'd have for it. Most combat situations were shootouts, knife fights, or fisticuffs. He was well-versed in using a spear, but it often wasn't necessary to use.

Oh, well. Just another addition to his weapons locker.

"Where is your little friend," she asked.

Knowing that taking back the town would be a bloodbath, he left Grogu inside the Razor Crest. He had closed off the cockpit, and locked up anything potentially hazardous. He had placed him in his hammock before leaving. Convincing him to stay put wasn't difficult. Due to using the Force earlier, he was very much ready for some rest.

"Back at the ship," he answered. And then he froze up a little. It was then that he remembered their deal.

He helped Ahsoka accomplish her goal. It was now time to help Grogu accomplish his.

Din stared out at the forest beyond the town, in the direction of his ship. Hesitation flooded him, but he knew that Ahsoka had just as much integrity as him, and that she would hold up her end. He didn't even think to consult with her first, too caught up in his own mind.

"Wait here," he muttered. "I'll…go get him."

Without looking at Ahsoka, he trekked into the forest, eyes straight ahead as if his vision was tunneling. His steps, his limbs, his stride, it was all mechanical. Like a peaceful droid on an aimless path. What was despairing was that he not only had a destination, but also a deal that needed to be fulfilled.

"He needs this," Din muttered to himself. "He needs to be with his people." It was a mantra that he adopted, that he silently repeated to himself for many weeks. It was a mantra with a meaning that had also become askewed during that time, as he struggled to not let it mingle with his own damned emotions.

In a matter of minutes, his foundling would no longer be in his care, and he would fulfill the Creed.

And it was indescribable how gut-wrenching it was.

He opened the main entrance to his ship. Upon entering the hull, the first thing he did was look at the hammock, and he saw that Grogu was still there. He leaned the staff against a wall. And he took his time removing his jetpack, uselessly checking it for any damage or abnormalities, and setting it aside.

For as large as the ship was, the hull was smaller than people realized. It didn't take long at all to move from one end to the other. And yet, his strides were sluggish. When he finally arrived at the foot of the bunk, he looked within the hammock.

Grogu was sleeping deeply and peacefully, quietly, lying on his back. Without a worry in the world.

Din placed his hand on the hammock. "Wake up, buddy," he murmured, the word slipping out before he could stop it. "It's-" The words caught in his throat. "-time to say goodbye."

Grogu tried to open his eyes, but ultimately lost that battle, tired as he was. Unable to bring himself to wake him just yet, Din moved the hammock very subtly, rocking it back and forth in what he hoped was a soothing motion. Although, with his luck, it was probably more fitful than anything. So, he stopped, and scooped him into his arms.

Grogu trilled in his sleep, relaxing completely despite the sudden change in position. Din didn't want to disturb him whatsoever, but…he couldn't let him go. Not yet. Not until he was awake and aware of what was happening.

Grogu fell asleep in the Razor Crest. He deserved to wake up in it before he left it. And he deserved to say goodbye to it.

"It's your home, kid," Din whispered. "That'll never change."

He sat down on the foot of the bunk, holding Grogu on his lap. The kid was sitting upright, with one of Din's hands supporting his back. He burbled grumpily, blinking against his want for sleep. He swayed a little, and he reached blindly forward for more support. He grabbed hold of Din's thumb, almost for dear life. Possibly sensing that Din was nearby, he soon relaxed and settled.

As if he was the most fragile thing in the universe, Din grasped his tiny hand with the utmost care. He inhaled sharply. It felt like there was saltwater in his eyes again. And he waited patiently for Grogu to awaken.

All too soon, the kid blinked, his eyes clearer as the dreams faded away. He looked up at Din, and gave a groggy coo.

Din huffed a little. "Hey there," he murmured. "I guess…Today's the day."

He stood up, bringing Grogu with him. He carried him to the cargo area, and opened up a familiar storage container. Within it, he spotted a silver package. After taking out a blue biscuit, he offered it to Grogu. The kid almost always wanted a snack after a long nap.

He took it, but didn't immediately eat it.

"Ahsoka's going to train you," Din explained. "She'll…She'll make sure you're taken care of." He pointed to the biscuit. "Eat up, okay?"

Grogu looked at the floor, tilting his head from side to side.

Din knew that the kid was smart, and that he understood more than anyone would realize, but in this instance, he wondered if he truly knew what was going on. And Din also wondered how well he had articulated things. Was it better if he knew what needed to be done? Or that maybe ignorance was truly bliss?

Grogu started eating the biscuit, albeit slowly, deliberation seeming to weigh on him. When he was finished, that's when Din set him down, but only briefly. He had blue crumbs all over himself. Din placed him on top of some cargo boxes. He swiped the crumbs away from his chin and tunic. Soaking up the attention, Grogu trilled at him.

It was when Din picked him up again that he started whining, loudly. Din held him close, against his chest, unable to do anything to quell his protests. He walked down the ramp.

"You're like a father to him."

He stopped for only a moment at the sound of the voice, his gaze landing on Ahsoka.

He continued walking down the ramp, towards her, towards a being who could understand and protect this child. Possibly better than he could.

Ahsoka repeated her words from yesterday. "I cannot train him."

Clutching Grogu in the crook of one arm, he stood in front of Ahsoka. "You made me a promise," he bit out. "And I held up my end."

She sighed quietly, and stepped closer.

Din looked down at Grogu, now holding him securely with both hands. His reasonable self told him it was time, but his own emotions and nature conflicted against that.

Ahsoka held her hand out. And Grogu clutched her index finger.

"There is one possibility," she suddenly said. "Go to the planet Tython."

She said there was a temple there, some sort of stone on a mountaintop, a place that was strongly connected with the Force. Din heard all of it, cataloguing it in his mind as yet another facet to this quest. But he was also trying to register the sudden switch in plans.

He looked at Ahsoka, and asked, "Then what?

"Then Grogu may choose his path," she said, letting go of the kid's hand. "If he reaches out through the Force, there's a chance a Jedi may sense his presence, and come searching for him. Then again…" She crossed her arms. "…There aren't many Jedi left."

This wasn't a cop out, Din realized, and he almost couldn't believe it. In a way, Ahsoka was still holding up her end of their deal. It was damn-near overwhelming. His shoulders, his chest, his lungs, every strain within him gradually fell away.

"Thank you," he breathed. She was difficult to read, but he wondered if she knew what this meant to him, and if she did that intentionally.

"May the Force be with you," she said with a single nod.

He turned around, heading back inside his ship. He now held Grogu against his shoulder, letting him look over it and say his goodbye to their friend. The ramp closed behind them, sealing the hull.

He carried Grogu up into the cockpit. Instead of setting him in the passenger seat, he carried him towards the console. He sat down in front of it, letting Grogu rest on his lap. It was difficult, executing the takeoff sequence with only one hand, but he just barely managed it. The entire time, Grogu held onto his thumb, unwilling to let go, and breathing what sounded like a sigh of relief.

Silently, Din copied him with his own exhale.

As soon as they were out of Corvus' atmosphere and sailing amongst the stars, Din threw his ship into autopilot. Now that he was completely hands free, he picked up Grogu and held him in front of his visor. It wasn't so much that he was seeing him for the first time, or anything cliché like that. But it was more like…

After today, if things had gone the way they should've, when would he have seen him again?

Grogu burbled, ears going up and down, as if trying to pick up on something. Din snorted lightly. Perhaps he was using the Force to read him, however such a thing might work. He cooed. And both of his hands reached forward, towards him. It was one of the few ways he silently called out to him. And Din instantly answered him.

He all but crushed him to his chest, tucking his small head beneath the chin of his helmet. Grogu trilled loudly, burying his face against the soft cowl.

Behind the visor, Din's eyes were squeezed shut. "Not goodbye," he murmured to his foundling. "Not today."