Chapter 17: The Tragedy
Din Djarin was... upset, to say the least. He had spent the majority of the night piloting the Razor Crest from Anima all the way to Sanus, barely getting any sleep. For the Mandalorian was driven by something he hadn't felt in a very long time: the feeling of betrayal.
It was this feeling that caused Djarin to see no point in spending any more time in Anima than he had to. Instead, he took the Razor Crest back to the city of Nevarro. It was there that the Mandalorian would find the answers to a problem he encountered on his quest. Not just for himself, but for the young girl who he made a promise to last night.
Cinder, on the other hand, was sleeping like a baby. When Djarin saw this, he decided to let her sleep. She didn't need to see what might happen when he got to the city. But before he left, the Mandalorian took a piece of paper out of a book and wrote a quick note for her. Laying the note next to her, Djarin removed his helmet and whispered something before leaving.
"Don't worry, I'll be back. I promise."
He kissed the top of her head and left the ship with the book. As soon as he touched the soil, he made his way to Nevarro, which was only a few feet away. When he got there, Djarin was surprised see both citizens and Mandalorians walking the streets. People in armor were talking with street vendors while masked Foundlings were playing with regular children.
"Now here's a sight for sore eyes," a voice from behind Djarin said. Turning around, he came face-to-face with a smiling Cara Dune. "Good to see you again, Mando." Cara extended her hand.
"Likewise," Djarin said as he shook her hand. He took a look around the city. "Looks like you've been busy."
"You have no idea," Cara said as she walked down the streets. "After you left, the people of Nevarro heard how the Mandalorians helped make Atlas leave the town alone. They also heard how your tribe needed to rebuild their village, so they decided to lend a hand. After a while, Nevarro became a hybrid city. Mandalorians help protect the citizens from Grimm and bandits in exchange for housing and supplies the city can provide."
"I never thought I'd see the day." The Mandalorian was impressed with the fact that his people were living among the commoners of Remnant, and that they were at peace. "The transition must have been hard."
"Well, that's why I'm here. Karga made me Marshal after you left.
"So you've gone legit."
Cara smirked. "I wouldn't go that far. What brings you here?"
"I need to talk to the Armorer. Is she here?"
"Nah, some Mandalorians still live in your village. Just walk-" Cara stopped talking when she saw the Mandalorian had disappeared. "Or just... use your Semblance."
Cinder awoke to muffled chatter outside the ship. Looking out her window, she saw two people walking past the ship. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, fully waking up and preparing to get dressed. As soon as she got up, she felt her foot brush against a piece of paper. Kneeling down, she picked up the note and read it.
"Cinder, we're in Nevarro right now. I went back to my village to get answers. Stay with the ship, I'll come back as soon as I figure out what's going on."
Cinder put the note down and went to the cockpit window. And sure enough, the Razor Crest was outside Nevarro. She recognized some of the buildings, and the fact that Mandalorians were walking towards it seemed to confirm her location. But one thing she didn't know was how long she had been here. That note could have been written hours ago while she was asleep. Even so, if Djarin went to go find answers to their problem, she needed to hear them too.
After she got dressed and walked outside the ship, she looked around for Djarin. The town was full of Mandalorians and normal citizens, it was difficult to narrow down where Djarin was. So, Cinder decided to retrace her steps. The first thing she did was go to the bar where she first fought against Gideon and his men. Maybe Djarin or Greef Karga would be there. As soon as she stepped inside, dozens of eyes landed on her. She looked around, not seeing any sign of the Mandalorian she was looking for. As she was about to leave, a hand landed on her shoulder.
"Ah, Cinder!" a familiar voice greeted her. Cinder looked up to see a smiling Greef Karga in a cape and red shirt. "Come here, little one!" He pulled her into a hug and chuckled.
"Hi," Cinder greeted him as she returned his hug. "I thought I'd find you here."
"Well, come on in!" He guided her to a seat. "Has Mando been taking good care of you?"
"You have no idea," Cinder replied with a smile.
"Have you been taking good care of him?"
"I... think so."
Karga laughed again. "Well, that's to be expected. So, what brings you here? And where's Mando?" He began looking around the bar for his friend.
"Well, that's why I came looking for you. Mando and I need to talk with the Armorer who gave me this." She pointed to her pauldron. "I was asleep when we got here, but he left a note saying he was going to talk to her."
"And you want to talk to her too?"
"Yeah. Is she here?"
"No, you'll find her at the village you last saw her." Karga stood up and walked to the door with Cinder. "Take a left when you walk outta here. You'll see a forest just outside of town. Just follow the path and you'll be back at the village."
"Thank you." Cinder walked outside.
"Don't mention it." Karga smiled and walked back inside. As soon as he did, some eyes in the bar landed on him.
"So, Greef's got a soft spot for children," one of the patrons joked.
"Who would've thought?" a Mandalorian next to him asked.
"Aw, shut up." Karga walked back to his seat as the two patrons laughed. As soon as he got back, he saw a younger woman in his seat. The woman had pale blonde hair and violet eyes. Around her neck was a green scarf with a brooch on it. Normally, Karga would be upset with someone sitting in his seat, but it wasn't every day when he would find a beautiful woman like this.
"Greef Karga?" the woman asked.
"Uh... yeah," Karga replied as he shifted his collar. He took a seat and ran a hand through his hair. Regaining his thoughts, he spoke. "Can I help you, ma'am?"
"I'm looking for a Mandalorian."
Karga chuckled. "Well, take your pick." He gestured towards the patrons, a mixture of both Mandalorians and citizens.
The woman simply laughed. "No, no. I'm pretty sure he's a friend of yours. He's about... yay high, wears silver armor, and he travels with a kid." Karga immediately realized this woman was looking for his friend. He also knew that despite Mando's forgiveness in the Guild, there was still a bounty on Cinder that could buy the whole building they were in. So, he knew what he had to do.
"Hmmm... I do know a couple of Mandalorians like you described," he said. "But one with a kid? No, that doesn't ring a bell."
The woman didn't take that for an answer. Instead, she leaned closer. "Come on," she insisted. "You're a smart man. Surely, you know who I'm talking about?" Karga felt the woman's hand grasp his. "I could make it worth your while."
"I just hit the jackpot," Karga thought to himself. But his excitement quickly died down when he realized he saw situations like this that never ended happily. So, he stuck to his original story. "I'm sorry, I really don't know anyone like that." He didn't let go of her hand. "But that doesn't mean you don't need to leave empty handed."
The woman laughed. "You have no idea how true that is." She looked down to her hand and Karga followed her gaze. But rather than seeing just her hand in his, Karga saw a red light surrounding both their hands. "You're a good liar, but nothing gets by me."
Before Karga could do or say anything, he felt a hand press against his shoulder and a male voice whisper into his ear.
"Where is he?"
Djarin had just reached his village through the forest and he was greeted by the same Mandalorians who usually guarded the gate. They were surprised to see him return, but didn't get the chance to say anything to him. "I need to see the Armorer," Djarin said.
The guards stepped aside and walked with Djarin to the Armorer's forgery. Only a few Mandalorians were at the village, and they all followed Djarin. One of them immediately ran to his side, Sun Jabbid. He knew something was wrong, his friend's pace was quick and powerful. It was as if Din Djarin came back to the village looking for blood.
"Din, are you alright?" he asked.
"No, Sun. I'm not," replied Djarin.
"What's going on? I haven't seen you this mad since someone stole your weapons."
"You'll see."
Once they all stepped inside, the Armorer stood up. She sat down at her table, but Djarin refused to join her. Every Mandalorian looked at each other, sensing the tense atmosphere. "You have returned," she said.
"Yes."
"Did you succeed in your quest?"
Djarin's clenched his fists. "You ask as if there was a quest to begin with."
The Mandalorians who joined Djarin murmured amongst themselves, surprised that one of their own seemed to be challenging their leader. "Are you suggesting that the Armorer lied to you?" one of the Mandalorians asked.
"I'm not suggesting anything," Djarin replied. He then held up the book he carried. "I have proof of her deception."
The Mandalorians whispered among themselves again, but the Armorer silenced them. "I did not lie to you," she said.
Djarin opened the book to a page and handed it to her. "Explain this, then."
Last night
Djarin had just come back to the ship with a hot meal for Cinder. The townspeople he met were kind enough to not only make the food for him after taking care of a few Grimm. In addition, they also told him they had some idea of where the Branwen tribe could be. Pointing him west, about a day's hike into a large forest, the village had reason to believe that's where the Mandalorian could find what he was looking for. Soon, he and Cinder would get answers.
"Cinder, I have good news," Djarin said as he placed the food onto Cinder's chair. He saw the young girl walk out of her makeshift room, holding her book of fairy tales. "I found out where the Branwen tribe is, and soon, we'll find Ozma."
"..."
Cinder was silent as she stopped in front of her chair, looking at the tray of food the Mandalorian had brought for her. Djarin decided to take the opportunity to ask his question, the one he wanted to ask her at Satine's party. "Before we eat, there's something I want to ask you. I've been thinking about this for a little while, and now I-"
"Mando, we need to talk."
Djarin stopped talking. He then noticed the somber expression on Cinder's face. She looked...hurt. He wasn't expecting to see her like this, not after her excitement about helping him with the Grimm earlier. But Djarin was resolved to find out why Cinder was upset. "What's wrong?" he asked calmly.
Cinder picked up her food and placed it on the control panel. Sitting down, she opened her book. "I... I was doing some reading. While you... you were in the village."
Djarin wasn't sure where this was going, but he continued to listen. "...Okay."
"And... I read something in one of the fairy tales. Something... wrong." Cinder kept blinking her eyes, as if she was holding back tears.
"What was it?"
Cinder opened the book and held it out to Djarin. But before he could take it, she pulled it back and asked him something. "You know... these are just stories, right? Like... make-believe?"
"That's what fairy tales are, Cinder. Just stories."
Cinder held out the book again, and Djarin took it. Reading the top of the page, he saw the story was called "The Girl in the Lonely Tower." And the page Cinder was on seemed to be some kind of epilogue. The epilogue was telling the reader not to worry about the sad atmosphere of this story, that things actually worked out for the girl trapped in that tower. Her savior was a hero of legend who braved the tower's challenges and refused to leave without her. The epilogue closed with a single phrase, one that Djarin had to read out loud to make sure he wasn't mistaken.
"...'Ozma and Salem lived happily ever after.'" He stared at the page in disbelief. Those two names; those were the people that the Armorer had told him about. The one he had been quested to find and his enemy. But this didn't make any sense. Why were they in a book of fairy tales? "I... don't understand." He looked back up at Cinder, who was still blinking.
"Mando, you don't think... they lied to me, do you?" she asked. "Did they do this just to throw me out?"
"Cinder, this is... I don't..."
Normally, Djarin would take great offense to this claim. He trusted the Mandalorians, specifically the Children of the Watch, with his life. But he knew there couldn't be a better explanation for this. If the Armorer did indeed lie to Cinder, then she lied to him as well. This realization caused Djarin's blood to boil. And he only got angrier when he saw Cinder begin to cry.
"Why?" she asked the Mandalorian. "Why would they do this?"
Djarin suddenly felt himself jump out of his seat and hug Cinder. He couldn't describe what just happened, it was as if some instinct told him what to do. He didn't question this, he only held her closer as she sobbed into his chest. "Cinder, I don't know what's going on," he confessed. "But if this is true, the Armorer didn't just lie to you." Cinder looked up at him. "She lied to me as well. And you know what?"
"...What?"
He knelt down to her and used his cape to dry her tears. "We're going to find out why. We're going back to Nevarro right now." He immediately took the ship off the ground and charted a course for Nevarro.
"I think... I'm going to lie down for a while," Cinder said as she went back to her room.
Present day
The Armorer placed the book down and some of the Mandalorians gathered around to see what Djarin had described. All of them had various reactions.
"By the Gods."
"It's true?"
"They're right here."
"It's just a story?"
Out of all the Mandalorians who had just witnessed the terrible truth, Sun Jabbid was the first to come to Djarin's defense. "She lied to him!" Djarin picked up the book and the Mandalorians stopped talking. They all turned to the Armorer, who stood alone against her two accusers.
"Well?" Djarin asked.
"...I did not lie to you," the Armorer repeated.
"How do you explain this, then?"
"...I cannot explain it. But I have proof I am telling the truth." The Armorer walked behind her furnace and pulled out a letter. The title read Te Laar be te Mand'alor. (The Song of the Mand'alor). "This is the last known recording of Tarre Vizsla, the last Mand'alor. It was given to the first leader of the Children of the Watch. Read it."
Djarin opened the letter and read the passage that was supposedly penned by Mandalore's final ruler.
"To whoever listens to this, this may be my last testament as Mand'alor. Share this information with my heir and the clan leaders. My friend Ozma has finally devised a plan to end this war in one swift stroke. Then, we can focus on our true enemy. Salem.
I know what I am to say will sound insane, but I, Tarre Vizsla, of sound mind, can confirm this notion is true. We have been fighting against each other for far too long. Without knowing, we have made a powerful enemy, a woman with abilities like Ozma. Salem, a powerful witch, has been seeking to divide us since before the founding of our glorious land. This war has given her the chance to divide us further. But if we succeed today, we can focus our efforts on stopping her before she does irreparable damage.
I know the Children of the Watch do not share our views on what being a Mandalorian is. And I know you believe this story to be folly once you receive it. But the songs of eons past can confirm that our people have fought her multiple times. But now, we must band together, despite the loss of Mandalore. Join us."
After reading the testament of Tarre Vizsla, Djarin turned back to the Armorer. He realized she had proof of what she said when he first received this quest, but it still didn't explain the fairy tale. "How do I know this isn't just another story?" he asked calmly.
"You do not," said the Armorer. "Which is why this issue must be resolved immediately. Bring the Foundling home. Until this matter is put to rest, she is welcome to stay as long as she desires."
Djarin nodded and left the forge. He wasn't sure how to explain everything to Cinder, but he was able to give her a place to stay for a while. He left the armory with the other Mandalorians, who went their separate ways. Only Sun remained by his side. "That went well," he said.
"I suppose," Djarin replied, unsure of what Cinder would say based on what just happened. "I don't know how she'll take it, though."
"The Armorer isn't normally a forgiving person, you're right. But given the fact you were able to justify yourself, she will-"
"That's not what I'm talking about." Djarin looked down at Cinder's gift, softly rubbing two fingers on it. "I can't help but feel that... I let her down."
"The child? I wouldn't worry about her, she'll understand. And given the enthusiasm she showed last time we saw her, she'll be happy to be back here."
"Still..." Djarin sat down on a bench, with Sun looking down on him. "Sun, what do you remember about your childhood?"
"Mainly my training. I was the first in the village to prove myself against the oldest Foundling, I think he was-"
"I mean, before becoming a Mandalorian. Do you remember anything about that?"
"...Oh. Well, my mother was a Huntress. She always left home to take care of some Grimm near the city of Vale, she left my brother to watch over me."
"What about your father?"
"I never knew him." Sun sat down next to Djarin. "What's this all about?"
Djarin took a deep breath. "My father wasn't always around, like your mother. He was a Huntsman, usually worked outside Mantle's wall. But, he always made time for his children. Looking back, there was one thing I remember the most about him, before he died. He always said 'Actions speak louder than words.' He knew he left us most of the time, but he would always come back, do whatever he could to make sure we knew he would be there for us, despite his job."
Sun didn't take his eyes off Djarin as he spoke. This was the first time Djarin ever opened himself up like this, even when he was a child. So, this was a serious matter for him. "I didn't know you two were close," Sun said.
"We weren't," Djarin honestly admitted. "Ikki adored him, and she told me about it one day, when I asked why he always left."
"Well... that doesn't really answer my question. What's all this about?"
Djarin looked over to Sun. "I've always acted as Cinder's Founder, protecting her and making sure she became as strong as us. But... I'm tired of that. When, or if, we leave again, I don't want to travel the world as just partners." He looked away again, staring off into space. "I want us to be family."
"You want to adopt her?" Djarin nodded. "That's not uncommon. Most Founders perform the Gai Bal Manda on the children they find."
"I know, but my Founder was killed a week after I joined the Foundlings. I don't know what it means to be a father. I try to support Cinder in every way I can, but there have been times when I didn't do everything right. And if I perform the ritual on her, there's still a chance I'll make the same mistakes. Or different ones."
"Din, this is a textbook Mandalorian lesson. You never know which choice is right or wrong. The best thing to do is learn from your mistakes and try again."
"I know. But Cinder looks up to me, probably more than any Foundling would look up to their Founder. I can't afford to let her down again."
"Din... I understand. You feel like you're going to do everything wrong. I guess my Founder thought the same when she found me. My advice is to hide these fears behind your resolve. This is the Way."
"This is the Way."
"But if you're serious about the ritual, there's one other thing you should think about. In my opinion, it's what every parent should think about."
"Which is?"
"Don't worry about not having a father as a child. Worry about the father you're going to be for your child." With that, Sun left Djarin to his thoughts.
"..."
Djarin had to admit, Sun made a very good point. All of the training, protecting, and looking after Cinder seemed to come as second nature for him at this point. And he was willing to do everything he could to keep her safe. But he rarely asked himself his personal feelings about the little girl. Of course, he cared about her greatly. A day without seeing her or talking to her would be... strange at this point. She made every trip they went on across Remnant enjoyable, and she refused to leave his side in the face of danger. It was usually an act of security for the young girl, but she would always fight with him, proving herself loyal to the Mandalorian.
Even so, it's not that she was the only one affected by the adventure. Djarin came to realize he wasn't the same man he was before finding Cinder. His life revolved around proving his mettle and earning his pay for hunting bounties. But when Cinder came along, he had a new reason to fight. And to change himself for the better. He made mistakes, but if he was the same man as before... he wouldn't have done anything to fix his mistakes.
But he did. Because she meant too much to him not to try anything.
Standing up, he was ready to go back to the Razor Crest and talk to her, having most of his thoughts clear. A beeping from his gauntlet stopped him from doing anything. He saw a blue screen with a message on it.
Incoming Call: Greef Karga
Once he answered it, Djarin heard a loud voice on the other end.
"Mando, it's me! We have a problem."
"...What is it?" Djarin asked.
"Okay, I'm moving!" Karga yelled to someone else. After a few seconds, he spoke to Djarin again. "Mando, listen to me. There's a team of Huntresses here with a bounty hunter who wants something from you."
"If he wants Cinder, he'll have to go through me first."
"He says you have something that doesn't belong to you. I was able to talk him out of hurting anyone in Nevarro, Cara and I are going to the field where we met the last time you came. Just come here and see if you can-"
The call ended. Djarin remembered the place Karga was talking about, he could teleport there easily. And that's exactly what he did.
Djarin had just arrived in the field to find Karga and Cara kneeling on the ground, their hands on the back of their heads.
"You okay?" he asked.
"Mando, don't-!" Cara yelled too late as a few metal bolts and bullets barely missed him. Djarin quickly ran for cover behind a rock. As he peeked his head out and drew his blaster, Djarin could see a hooded figure walk in front of his friends, a rifle and staff on his back.
"I've been tracking you, Mandalorian," said the man. Djarin peeked out further, expecting more bolts and bullets. But when nothing hit him, Djarin stepped out of cover with his blaster pointed at the man.
"Are you Ozma?" Djarin assumed. The hooded figure said nothing. Djarin had another idea as to what this man wanted. "Or are you after the child?"
This time, the figure removed his hood, revealing a man with two heavy scars on the right side of his face and a few more on the other side. He was bald and had a serious expression on his face. "I'm here for the armor," he said as he walked closer.
Djarin had one response that was second nature to him at this point. "If you want my armor, you'll have to peel it off my dead body."
The man stopped walking. "I don't want your armor. I want my armor." Djarin titled his head in confusion, unsure of what this man was talking about. So the accuser jogged his memory. "That the child gave to you in Vacuo. It belongs to me."
Now Djarin knew what was going on. He still had that suit of faded green armor in his ship. He thought the owner was dead, but here was someone claiming it as his property. But there was one thing he needed to know. "Are you Mandalorian?" Djarin asked.
"I'm a simple man making his way through the Kingdoms. Like my father before me."
That didn't answer the Mandalorian's question. So, Djarin interrogated him further. "Did you take the Creed? Or do you belong to another clan?"
"I give my allegiance to no one."
Djarin got his answer. Whoever this person was, he was no Mandalorian. He had no claim to that armor, despite his knowledge of its existence. "The Beskar belongs to the Mandalorians. It was looted from us during the War."
"The armor was my father's," the man insisted. "Now, it's mine."
"What's to stop me from dropping you right where you stand?"
"Because I have a sharpshooter up on that ridge with a locked scope that will unload by the time my body hits the ground," the man replied. "And I have four more people right here. You can't see them, but they're here."
"I'm the one wearing Beskar. As soon as I see that muzzle flash, you're all dead."
"I didn't mean they were going to shoot you. My friends are locked onto both of these friends of yours." The man gestured to Cara and Karga.
"And if you remember, I don't miss," a voice called out. A very familiar voice to the Mandalorian, who turned up to the large hill to confirm his suspicion.
"Fennec?" he called out.
"You have a keen ear, Mando," the sniper replied.
Between an old acquaintance being the sniper and the four people he could see with his thermal vision, Djarin realized that this man's threats were true. He had to do something to help Cara and Karga. "You point that gun away from them or I'll drop you all where you stand," he threatened.
"Let's all put down our weapons, have a chat," the man offered. "There's no need for bloodshed."
"Tell her to drop the gun and your friends to lower their staffs." Cara and Karga looked behind them, but didn't see anyone holding any weapons.
"After you put down the jetpack."
"...Same time."
The man looked up at Fennec. "Stand down." She complied and Djarin took off his jetpack. As the sniper walked down the ridge, the four people behind Cara and Karga became visible. The people were a group of women in their early twenties with green ragged clothes that were lowering their staffs. One of them, a woman with pale blonde hair, instead removed a weapon from her wrist.
The one called 'Fennec' removed an orange and black helmet to reveal a woman with black hair, whose brown eyes locked onto Djarin. "You look like you've just seen a ghost," she said.
"Mando, you know these people?" Karga asked.
"Just her," Djarin answered. "This is Fennec Shand, someone who should be dead."
"At the risk of sounding cliché, Mando... reports of my death were greatly exaggerated."
Six months ago
"So, you really don't miss, huh?"
"What can I say, Mando? I'm just that good."
"Maybe. Or your Semblance does all the work."
"...Alright, you caught me."
Din Djarin and his partner had just escaped from a group of Atlas personnel with a crate full of Lien. Djarin had gone to the kingdom of Atlas looking for work. He knew Atlesians didn't look too kindly on Mandalorians, so he decided to try his luck in Mantle. There, he met a woman named Fennec Shand, a part time employee at the Schnee Dust Company. Having enough of the mining life, she told Djarin she knew where the CEO kept most of his savings in the complex. If he could get her in there and help her take as much as they could carry, she'd split the earnings with him. Djarin agreed, and the operation took about fifteen minutes.
Of course, the SDC figured out what was happening and tried to stop them. Fennec was able to hold them off with impressive hand-to-hand combat skills and perfect marksmanship. Now, they were hiding out in a cave in the tundra, their Auras protecting them from the cold. As soon as the searches ceased or the Mandalorian's Aura was close to the point where he couldn't teleport them, they would leave. While they were waiting, Fennec passed the time by examining their spoils and talking to the Mandalorian.
"I never took your kind as cat-burglars," said Fennec. "You're full of surprises, aren't you?"
"I normally don't take these kinds of risks," he replied. "You, on the other hand, seem to be quite the thief."
"Well, this isn't exactly my first time. And it certainly won't be my last."
"Don't bite off more than you can chew. You were smart in there, but also a little reckless."
"Don't worry about me, Mando." Fennec walked closer to him. "I may enjoy the fast paced life, but I'm no fool."
The Mandalorian pressed a button on his gauntlet, showing his image and an orange bar. "It's close to the point of no return," he said. "Are they still looking for us?"
Fennec walked over to the cave entrance and looked outside. She couldn't see anything, except the snow and the sun setting. "I don't see anyone," she called back to him. Just as she stepped back inside, a black Aura around her flickered and suddenly shattered. "Shit," Fennec cursed her luck. "Okay, we need to-"
*BANG*
A bullet had found its way into Fennec's back, exiting out of her abdomen. The shot had sprayed her blood across the cave walls and began to paint the snowy ground red. Djarin immediately rushed to her as she fell into his arms. More shots began to find their way into the cave, but Djarin's Beskar blocked any damage. He zoomed in on his helmet and turned on his thermal vision, which showed about a dozen Atlas soldiers running towards them. It seemed these people were quite stubborn when it came to capturing thieves.
The Mandalorian fired a few shots from his blaster and moved deeper into the cave, still carrying Fennec. But as he backed in, he failed to notice the ground beneath him begin to crack. The ice broke and caused Djarin to fall down another cave, Fennec's limp body tumbling after him. The fall lasted for about ten seconds and Djarin hit another ground of ice and slid further into the cave.
It took him a moment to recover and stand back up. Looking around, he could see stalagmites and stalactites of ice around him. He didn't take time to appreciate the scenery, as he had just noticed a group of ice-covered Sabyrs a few feet away from him. Djarin reached for his gun, but felt nothing in his holster. He turned around to see his weapon a few feet away from him, between his foot and Fennec's body. Seeing the Grimm pounce at him, Djarin jumped back and got his blaster. But as he looked back and saw the Grimm inches from his face, he made a split second decision.
He teleported himself back to his village.
As soon as he got back, Djarin felt his Aura flicker and suddenly shatter. He cursed his luck and himself as he had realized he left empty handed and a dying Fennec back in that cave. He had given his word he would help her, and the deal would only be complete once they escaped and he had his share. He couldn't break that promise. This is the Way.
So when he felt his Aura recharge and saw that it was in the yellow zone, Djarin made a mental image of the cave and teleported back to it. But once he returned, he saw that the Grimm and Fennec had disappeared. All that was left was a broken chest with a few pieces of Lien left. His guess was that the Atlesians took care of the Grimm, but not before they got to Fennec. And they took whatever money they could carry and went back home. So, Djarin did the same thing.
Present day
"I went back to that cave," said Djarin. "I thought the Grimm got to you before I did."
"She was left for the Grimm," said the scarred man. "As was I. But fate sometimes steps in to rescue the wretched."
Fennec moved her hand to her abdomen to reveal a part of her shirt that seemed to be a cover for something. Pulling it away, she showed the Mandalorian machine parts, a piston that was moving up and down. "In my case..." She looked back to the man. "Boba Fett was that fate. And I am now in his service."
"What about them?" Djarin pointed to the four women behind Karga and Cara.
"The Happy Huntresses are friends of mine," the man replied. "Who have agreed to help me reclaim my armor." Hearing that name caused Cara to stifle a laugh. Which earned her a whack to the head by a green haired woman with markings on her face.
"That's right," the pale haired woman said. "All we want is Boba's armor. Hand it over and we'll let your friends go."
"It goes against the Mandalorian Creed," Djarin argued. He didn't want to see his friends hurt, but the Way of the Mandalore was more important to him. He could only hope they understood.
Boba spoke up again. "The armor was given to my father, Jango, by your forebears. In exchange, I guarantee the safety of the child, as well as your own. The bounty on your little friend has risen significantly. You can buy ten suits of armor for the price on her head. I'd say we're offering a fair deal under the circumstances."
Before Djarin could argue even more, Karga realized he had something to say. "Wait! Wait just a minute!" Everyone turned to him as he pointed to Boba. "Are you saying you're Boba Fett? The Boba Fett?"
"I am," he replied.
Karga's eyes widened when he heard this. He even began to laugh. "Oh, my God! I've heard all about you and your reputation. You were a legend in the Guild!" Hearing this praise brought a small smile to Boba's face. "What the hell happened to you? Everyone thought you were retired or dead!"
"I'm happy to admit to neither. Let's just say I've been busy with something else." Boba suddenly had an idea. "If you've heard of me, then you know about my armor."
Karga nodded and looked back to the Mandalorian. "Mando, you may not know this guy, but I do. He wore a suit of armor like yours, but it was green and scratched."
"..."
"Now, I know that armor is important to you. But I've heard what happened to clients who... disappointed Boba. This may be hard to hear, but if you have his armor, I think it would be wise to give it back."
A loud sound coming from the sky caused everyone to look up. Four Mantas were flying towards Nevarro, and they were closing in fast.
"What the hell?" Karga asked. He turned back to Boba. "My friend, I know we have a disagreement. But is this really necessary?"
"These ships aren't with us," said Fennec.
Djarin pressed a button on his helmet and his vision zoomed in. He was able to see the Mantas more clearly, and he saw that these Mantas were black rather than the Atlas standard white. That's when Djarin realized these ships weren't with the Atlas military. He zoomed out and looked back at Karga. "Gideon's back," he said.
Karga's jaw dropped and he stood up. The Happy Huntresses didn't stop him as he ran in the direction of Nevarro. "Mando, use your Semblance to take me back! We need to warn everyone!"
Djarin picked up his jetpack and grabbed Karga's hand. Before he teleported away, he turned back to the group.
"We'll continue this later," said Boba. He turned the Huntresses. "Robyn, stay with me." The pale haired woman, now known as Robyn nodded and put her weapon back on her wrist.
"We'll be right behind you," said Cara.
Djarin nodded and teleported Karga and himself back to Nevarro. As soon as they got there, one of the Mantas had landed at the west side of the city. Many Mandalorians and citizens were walking towards it, wondering what the ship was doing here. "Get back, get back!" Karga yelled at the top of his lungs, running towards the group of people. They all turned around, wondering what had him so scared. But this caused them to become obvious to the group of soldiers running out of the ship, weapons aimed at the audience.
Panic spread as soon as the first shots fired. A Mandalorian was merely fazed and fell to the ground, but some of the citizens weren't so lucky. Everyone began to run away from the insurrectionists, the citizens going to the buildings while the Mandalorians were running for cover. Djarin and Karga immediately returned fire as they moved for cover, the latter was armed with a pistol loaded with modified Fire Dust. A Mandalorian in green armor immediately ran up to Karga and grabbed his arm.
"Don't worry about me!" said Karga, shaking off the grip. "Protect the people!"
"I am, Karga!" the woman retorted. "You're too important to lose!"
"I can't call myself Nevarro's Magistrate if I'm not willing to fight for this town!"
Djarin turned the Mandalorian. "Go," he said. "I'll watch over him." She nodded and ran back to help with the protection of the citizens. Djarin and Karga fired their blasters at the soldiers, while other Mandalorians joined them.
The insurrectionists were mostly armed with rifles and pistols, loaded with Fire or Lightning Dust. While the bullets were powerful, the soldiers found themselves easily overwhelmed by the Mandalorians. Their Beskar mostly protected them from the Fire Dust, but some well placed Lightning Dust to the exposed parts of their bodies caused them to spasm and hit the ground. But that didn't turn the tide of the battle in their favor.
So, the pilot of the Manta took to the air and unleashed a rain of bullets on the fighters. In retaliation, one of the Mandalorians sent a missile from her jetpack, which made contact with the bottom of the airship.
Once it fell, another took its place. But this time, people in Mandalorian armor ran out. Djarin recognized them immediately. "The Saxon Clan!" he yelled out to another Mandalorian.
"Friends of yours?" Karga asked, who was next to Djarin.
"I met them in Mistral, helped another clan escape from them!"
"Seems like you pissed them off!"
Djarin wasn't worried about their animosity towards him at the moment. Right now, he was looking for their leader. If Gar Saxon used his Semblance here, every Mandalorian would fall and leave Nevarro vulnerable. But all he saw were the white armored ones. Their leader was nowhere to be found.
The bullets and blasts stopped firing as hand-to-hand brawl engaged between the Mandalorians. Djarin joined the effort, and grabbed a Saxon Mandalorian by the neck. Karga shot him multiple times, and he fell to the ground.
During the fight, nobody noticed two Saxon Mandalorians escape the group and talk to each other. "She's not here," one of them said. "Any other ideas?"
"Gideon said their village was in a forest," he responded. He looked around and saw a group of trees not far from the city. "Over there." He took to the air, his partner following.
"What about the others?" she asked.
"We have two more airships of soldiers prepared to ambush the town from behind. This will all be over soon."
The two other Mantas had just touched the ground, not far from the Razor Crest. More insurrectionists came out and immediately looked at it.
"That's it," one of them said. "That's his ship." He looked over to a soldier with a sniper rifle. "You see anything?"
"Just the ship," the soldier replied, looking through the rifle's scope. "We can search it, but I doubt-"
*BANG*
A shot ran out and hit the sniper in the head. The remaining soldiers ran for cover behind rocks and the ships as more bullets and bolts came their way.
Fennec, Boba, and the Happy Huntresses took to the high ground once they saw the ships land. Boba was armed with his rifle along with Fennec, both loaded with Ice Dust that sent a sharp, piercing icicle towards their enemies. Robyn and her Huntresses were doing their best to help, but the bolts from their crossbows hardly pierced the armor the insurrectionists were wearing.
"Our ammo's useless against them!" Robyn yelled. "May, Joanna, Fiona! See if you can get closer to them!" The Huntresses obeyed and Robyn followed them.
Boba lowered his rifle and took his staff off his back. "Cover them," Boba said to Fennec. "There are more rounds in my rifle if you need them."
"Got it," Fennec replied. "What are you going to do?"
Boba pointed to the Razor Crest. "Increase our chances." He took off running towards the ship. More soldiers tried to fire at him, but they were either on the receiving end of Boba's staff or Fennec's shots. The Huntresses, along with Cara, were also holding their own against the soldiers, Cara with her Semblance and the Huntresses with their weapons in melee form.
Fennec, on the other hand, was forced to move from her cover as three Saxon Mandalorians forced her out of cover. She continued to run and fire at the same time, even knocking one out of the sky. The other two moved to the ground and one of them grabbed her gun. But Fennec simply refocused her efforts on hand-to-hand combat. She focused on the exposed parts of their bodies, and each attack was a very palpable hit. Her kicks caused one Mandalorian to kneel to the ground, and the finishing touch was a swift kick to his helmet.
The last attack was amplified by Fennec's Aura, and it was already starting to deplete from her Semblance. So, she decided to conserve it and let the other Mandalorian land one attack on her before fighting back. She was just about to land her first attack, but the Mandalorian disintegrated before her eyes. The falling Beskar revealed Djarin and Karga, the former pointing his Amban rifle where the Saxon Mandalorian once stood. Fennec nodded her head and Djarin lowered his weapon. "You should find Cara," he said to Karga. He simply nodded and ran up the hill. Just as Karga left his sight, a few bullets hit the Mandalorian's armor. More insurrectionists came charging towards Fennec and Djarin.
"This isn't looking good," said Fennec, firing at any insurrectionist she saw.
"I've seen worse," Djarin assured her. Between his marksmanship and the Beskar protecting him, the Mandalorian wasn't worried about his chances. But he knew Fennec's Aura might break soon, leaving her vulnerable. "You can get out of here. I owe you from last time."
"We have a deal." She continued to fire her rifle, hitting each insurrectionist in the chest. But she could feel her Aura weaken, and it caused her to consider the Mandalorian's offer. But once she saw a grenade hit the ground a few feet away from them and explode, Fennec realized their chances of survival had increased.
One of the insurrectionists who was merely stunned from the blast began to recollect his thoughts. The first thing he did was turn around once he heard something land from behind. As soon as he came face to face with a man in faded green Mandalorian armor, he regretted turning around.
Boba smacked the trooper's helmet and fired a round of Fire Dust into his chest. Once he hit the ground, Boba turned around and fired more rounds at an incoming group of troopers. They each fell to the ground once the rounds hit their chests. As more came his way, Boba decided to perform a field test for his armor. Lifting his arm, two blasts of modified Fire Dust shot out from his gauntlet and hit two more insurrectionists. He then engaged in hand-to-hand combat against other troopers, punching and kicking each one he saw. He grabbed one in a headlock and blasted him away with his other gauntlet. And once he sent two projectiles from a gauntlet on his knee at two more, the remaining insurrectionists took it as a sign to run.
Four insurrectionists made it back to the Mantas and flew away. But Boba had one more thing to test. Lowering his range finder and locking on to a Manta, he fired the missile from his jetpack and watched it make contact with one of the wings, causing the ship to crash into the other one and explode. Boba lifted his range finder and turned back to Djarin and Fennec.
"Nice shot," Djarin complimented.
"I was aiming for the other one," Boba confessed. He would need to take a look at his helmet and jetpack once he left.
The clouds above the trio suddenly began to glow red. Taking a look at the sky, they could see a red laser quickly fall from the sky and approach faster and faster to the ground. The laser made impact with the earth, just inches away from the Razor Crest. Unfortunately, the resulting explosion engulfed the ship in flames.
"No!" screamed Djarin. He quickly ran a few feet away from Boba and Fennec, but stopped when he saw the aftermath. The ship was on its side and burning, one of the wings looked incredibly damaged. But he didn't care about his ship at the moment. His only concern was the child he left sleeping inside.
Teleporting himself to the ship, Djarin rushed inside the cockpit's broken window and frantically looked around. "Cinder!" he called out. Rushing to the cargo hold's door, he saw that it had also been damaged. He could barely poke his head inside and look around. But when he saw the room was empty, save for a few of Cinder's possessions, he ran back outside, looking on the ground for an injured child. But he found nothing.
"CINDER!" he called out louder. The only response he got was Karga and the others rushing to his side. "I can't find Cinder!" he said. "She was supposed to be in the ship!"
"Mando, calm down!" said Karga, pointing to Nevarro. "She was looking for you before they came, I told her you might be at your village." Djarin immediately ran past Karga to the nearby cliff. When he saw the outskirts of the forest that led to his village, he could see that some of the trees were on fire. Cinder must have used her powers there, which meant she was in trouble.
Before he could teleport himself there, he heard someone rush to his side. He turned to see Fennec with an extended hand. "Take me with you!" she ordered. He grabbed her hand and the duo vanished.
Cinder had made her way to the forest and was still on the path to the village. The solitude gave her time to think of what she was going to ask the Armorer when she arrived. Unfortunately, she had too many questions at the moment. The first thing she wanted to know was if the Armorer lied to her. And if she did, why? Cinder thought back to the day when she was accepted, how the Armorer called her a Mandalorian. Was that another lie too?
"No," Cinder thought to herself. "If that was a lie, she wouldn't let me keep her swords and my necklace."
So, Cinder tried to think of another reason. The first thing that came to her mind were the Maiden powers. Maybe the Mandalorians did fear her. Maybe they felt safer without her. And if that was true, Cinder planned to convince them she was no threat. Maybe she and Djarin could stay if they-
Cinder suddenly stopped in her tracks. The thought of Djarin caused her to think of all the time he spent with her. He was there for every up and down on their journey, insisting that wherever he went, she went. That was the one rule, and their adventure had good times. But it was clear that the bad times outweighed the good. If everything they did was for nothing, then Cinder had been a waste of time. He had to bear all the weight on his shoulders, and for what? For a girl who he met by accident?
"Is that... what he thinks of me?" she wondered. "Have I been nothing but trouble for him?"
Cinder sat down against a tree and tried to think of a reason why that wouldn't be true. She thought of all the times he helped her, all the times he was kind to her, and everything that happened on that quest. It was clear she wasn't the same person she was at the Glass Unicorn. But something else was also clear. He had been wanting to ask her something for a little while, when they were in Mistral. He was so nervous about asking, most likely because he knew what the answer would be. And now she had a good idea what his question was; he wanted to ask her if he could leave once everything was done.
Cinder took her necklace and looked at the symbol, thinking of Djarin. He had given her so much, but she couldn't think of a time when she ever returned the favor. He had every right to turn her away, but Cinder prayed that he wouldn't.
"Without you... I am nothing."
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
Cinder turned away from her necklace at the sound of something in the distance. They were far away and soft to her ears, but Cinder recognized the sounds as explosions. She quickly sat up and ran back towards Nevarro, to see what was happening. If she heard the explosions, there was a chance Djarin heard them as well. They could meet in the city and find out what was going on. She made it out of the woods to hear another explosion, although she was too far from Nevarro to see what was destroyed. She knew she needed to get there fast, so she closed her eyes and began to concentrate. Once Cinder felt the fire in her eyes, she launched herself off the ground and made her way to Nevarro.
Only to feel something from behind kick her.
Cinder fell to the ground and rolled over twice. She slowly got up and felt her head throb, she hit it hard against the ground. She could also vaguely make out two figures, one in the air and one standing a few feet away from her. At first, she thought these were Mandalorians from the Children of the Watch. But after her vision was reoriented from the impact, she realized these were the Mandalorians she saw in Mistral, the ones from Clan Saxon.
"There you are," said the one in the air.
Cinder quickly reached behind her back, expecting to find her swords. But once she felt nothing but her back, she remembered that she left her swords in the Razor Crest. Seeing no other choice, Cinder held up her fists and engaged her Aura, ready to defend herself against the Mandalorians.
The woman in front of her began to laugh. "Kid, don't be stupid," she said. "You're only gonna make this worse."
"Whatever you want, you won't get it easily," Cinder retorted, not putting her fists down.
The Mandalorian sighed. "Alright." She then took out two pistols from her side. "Have it your way." She fired her pistols at Cinder, who quickly ran back into the woods. The woman simply sighed and activated her flamethrower, which set some of the tree's leaves ablaze. Her plan was for Cinder to run out of the burning trees, running inside would only prolong the inevitable.
The unexpected happened when the flames seemed to shoot back at the Mandalorians, who were fazed by the attack. Cinder suddenly flew out of the forest, eyes burning, and collided into the flying Mandalorian, her Aura taking most of the impact. Once he fell to the ground, Cinder grabbed his neck and activated her Semblance.
"RAAHH!" the Mandalorian screamed in agony. He grabbed the girl by her hair and pulled, which loosened the grip she had on his throat. Pushing her off with his other hand, the Mandalorian stood up and pointed a rifle at Cinder. But she simply shot more fire at him, which caused him to fly away on impulse. The young girl's attention was caught by two bullets hitting her Aura. Turning around to face the other Mandalorian, Cinder was oblivious to her previous opponent pressing a finger to the side of his helmet.
"We're gonna need some help," he said on his radio. "Send two of your people here."
"But-" the voice on the other end began.
"I said send them here now!" he screamed. He flew back down to see his partner engaged in hand-to-hand combat against the child. Cinder had learned much from her guardian, her attacks were swift and powerful. But against someone with Beskar and the fact that her punches were predictable, the Mandalorian was able to dodge and block each strike.
Cinder felt someone grab her from behind and squeeze her waist tightly. The grip left her open to attack, and she felt two fists hit her stomach and face, breaking her Aura. Before another fist could hit her, Cinder extended her legs and pushed them forward, sending a gust of wind towards her enemy. The one holding her fell backwards from the wind and released Cinder. She moved back from the duo, but suddenly felt lightheaded. Her nose began to bleed and her left eye throbbed. Her Aura couldn't protect her anymore, she was vulnerable.
"You need to be prepared to fight when it breaks on you."
Djarin's words during her training played back into her head as she brought her fists back up. Looking towards the Mandalorian who just got back up, she screamed at the top of her lungs and rushed towards him, her fist about to make contact with the back of his neck.
Everything went black as she felt something powerful hit the back of her head.
The Saxon Mandalorians turned to see two Mandalorians of Clan Vizsla standing over the unconscious child. "About time," the female Mandalorian said as she picked up Cinder.
"Let's just go," one Vizsla Mandalorian sadly replied. They all lifted themselves into the air.
Just a few moments after the Mandalorians took flight, Djarin and Fennec had arrived at the sight of the battle. "There's nothing here!" said Djarin, who was panicking about Cinder. If she wasn't here, he had no idea where else to look for her.
"Wait, look!" Fennec pointed to the sky. Djarin followed her gaze to see the four Mandalorians flying higher into the sky. Confused as to why they were flying off rather than fighting, he zoomed in on his helmet to get a closer look. That was when Djarin recognized two of them as the Mandalorians from Clan Saxon. And one of them was holding Cinder.
Focusing on the sight, Djarin activated his Semblance, which teleported himself into the sky. Quickly activating his jetpack, he flew with the Saxon Mandalorians and their allies. He quickly grabbed the one holding Cinder by the neck. But before he cold do anything else, he felt something hit his back and move him off course. He refocused himself and saw the other Saxon Mandalorian holding his waist and squeezing.
"Get outta here!" the Mandalorian yelled, punching the exposed parts of Djarin's body. "We've come too far to be stopped now!"
Djarin used his knees to hit the Mandalorian in the chest as he flew. "Let go!" he yelled. Remembering Cinder, he quickly looked up to see that the Mandalorians had made even more progress. Djarin activated his Semblance again, taking him and the Saxon Mandalorian closer to Cinder. But before he could attack again, the other Mandalorian let him go and fired a shot from his gauntlet. The blast hit Djarin's jetpack and it flew out of control, sending Djarin higher and further away from Cinder.
The jets began to die down, and Djarin could refocus himself. As soon as he saw himself approaching the ground faster and faster, Djarin activated his Semblance to take him above the woods, where the trees would hopefully soften the impact.
*CRASH*
"-ando..."
"Uhh..."
"Mando..."
"Ngghh..."
"Mando!"
Djarin fully opened his eyes to see Cara and Karga looking down at him. "Mando, you alright?" asked Cara. Djarin tired to stand up, but felt a sharp pain in his leg. "Whoa, hold on!" Cara placed his right arm on her shoulder and helped him off the bed he was laying on. "Take it easy, your Aura's not full yet."
"...Right," said Djarin. He looked down to see that the Beskar on his leg had been removed, and a bandage was wrapped around it. "You did this?"
"We had a doctor in town look at you," said Karga. "She wrapped up your leg and went back to help the town."
"Did she... see my face?"
"Don't worry, we told her that was off limits. Besides, your leg was the only thing that got busted from your fall."
"...Thank you."
Karga sighed. "Dammit, why do you guys always do this? One day, you or some other Mando are gonna land on something as stubborn as you."
Djarin ignored the joke. "How long was I out?"
"A half hour."
"Where's Cinder?"
Karga turned to Cara and sighed. "...You better let them explain."
Cara walked the Mandalorian outside the building, where Boba, Fennec, and the Happy Huntresses were waiting for him. As soon as they made eye contact, Djarin asked Fennec a question. "Did Cinder fall too?"
"...No," she said. "You gave those Mandos unexpected trouble, but they escaped. She's gone."
"I saw them take her to a larger airship," said Boba. "Probably the largest one the insurrection has. They flew east."
Djarin sighed. "And my ship?"
Karga spoke again. "It... took a heavy hit. I can fix it, but it'll take time. At most, I can get it to fly in a week."
"...Let me see it."
The town of Nevarro had begun to recover from the surprise attack. Both citizens and Mandalorians were tending to the wounded and burning the dead. They had managed to protect their home, and the citizens were grateful for what the Mandalorians did. But the battle wasn't without sacrifices.
Djarin's Aura healed once he made it halfway to the Razor Crest, so he made the rest of the trip himself. But after seeing the cockpit completely destroyed and one of the wings blown to pieces, the best thing Djarin could do was scavenge for anything useful.
The first thing he found was the the book he gave Cinder. After holding it for one second and discouraging himself for his failure, his eyes turned to something else that survived. Cinder's Beskar blades were laying close to a pit of fire, the flames scorching the metal. When he carefully pulled the blades away from the fire, he saw that the heat turned them from silver to black. He hit one of the blades against his gauntlet, but it didn't break. The swords had miraculously survived, and he took them without hesitation.
Boba and the Huntresses were waiting for him close by. When he returned, Djarin showed them the burnt blades. "These were all that survived," he said.
"Beskar," Boba pointed out. Speaking of Beskar, he held out his arm to the Mandalorian. "I want you to take a look at something." Pressing a button, an orange screen appeared with foreign symbols. Djarin immediately recognized the symbols as Mando'a writing. "My chain code has been encoded in this armor for twenty-five years. See, this is me. Boba Fett." He then pointed to a section of the writing. "This is my father, Jango Fett."
Djarin looked at the Mando'a writing and realized what it meant. "Your father was a Foundling," he said.
"Yes." Boba turned off the screen. "The clan who found him are extinct. I'm the last of their line."
"Then that armor belongs to you."
"...I appreciate its return."
Djarin looked at everyone else. "Then our deal is complete."
"Not exactly," said Robyn.
"How so?"
Boba spoke up again. "We agreed, in exchange for the return of my armor, that we would ensure the safety of the child."
"...She's gone."
Robyn stepped forward. "And until she's back with you, we're in your debt." She turned to her allies. "Are you with me, Huntresses?" They all nodded.
Djarin turned to Fennec, who also nodded. "Just don't leave me for dead again," she said.
"Deal," said Djarin.
Robyn began to walk away from the group. "I'll get the ship ready." As soon as she left, Karga and Cara walked up to Djarin.
"My friend... I'm so sorry," said Karga.
"Me too," Djarin said as he turned towards the town, regretting the destruction his presence had caused. "How's the damage?"
"Nothing serious, just a couple of buildings."
"What about the Mandalorians?"
"There were some arguments at first. A few of the townspeople believed the insurrectionists were here for Beskar. But once I explained what happened, they knew nobody was to blame. But what about you?"
"I'm going to find her. And I have an idea where to start."
The large airship had just reached the ocean close to Vale. The officers at the terminals caused the ship to approach closer and closer to the water. As it made contact, the engines on the back turned to propellers and the transformed sea ship set sail. Major Gideon was standing in the bridge, reveling in the victory he had gained over the Mandalorian. Without his ship and given how far away he was, it was unlikely Djarin could find them anytime soon.
A soldier walked up to Gideon with a message. "Sir, the girl's awake."
"Good," said Gideon. "Take me to her."
The soldier and a Saxon Mandalorian both escorted Gideon to the ship's holding cells. Between the sounds of crashing and the screaming inside, Gideon had a feeling he found the right cell. The door opened to reveal a disturbing sight.
"AAAAAAHHHHH!"
"Put it out! PUT IT OUT!"
Two more of Gideon's men were running around the cell, trying to put out the fire that surrounded their bodies. Their armor would normally protect them, but the fire was enough to burn a small house down to the ground. Now they could feel the burning metal on their arms, legs, and heads. And it was all thanks to Cinder, whose eyes were burning brighter than ever and hands were creating the most fire she could. It was hard to imagine how a little girl's tantrum could cause such pain and agony, but Gideon knew he shouldn't underestimate the child.
"This has to stop," the other soldier said to Gideon, who was disturbed by the sight and smell of his allies being burnt to a crisp. He extended his rifle and pointed it at Cinder.
"Wait," said Gideon. He wasn't completely entertained just yet.
Cinder began to yell over the screaming soldiers, not giving them a chance to recover or attack. But as soon as she saw their bodies hit the ground, Cinder felt her powers leave her. Her eyes stopped burning and the fire from her hands died down. She fell to the ground, panting from exhaustion. Gideon walked over to the girl, confident she couldn't attack him. He kneeled down to her and smiled. "You've gotten very good with that," he said. "But it makes you oh-so tired."
Cinder looked up at him with a scowl. "I don't need... my powers... to kill you," she said in between breaths.
Gideon chuckled at her bravado. "And what about them?" He gestured to the soldier and Mandalorian, who were pointing their weapons at her. "You lost to my friends in the forest, even while you used your powers."
"And what about my friend?" Cinder asked. "He'll come for me, he won't-"
"Be a problem, I know." Reaching into his belt, Gideon pulled out a pauldron he borrowed from one of Saxon's men. The pauldron looked just like Djarin's, and Gideon knew he could put the armor to use. "This was all they found of him." When he saw Cinder begin to cry, he knew she bought the deception.
Cinder turned to the Mandalorian who was pointing a gun at her. "You should be ashamed!" she yelled. "How could you betray your own kind like this?!"
"Nothing personal," he said. "Just following my Mand'alor's orders."
Cinder looked back at Gideon. "...Mand'alor?"
"Yes." Gideon pulled out his sword. "Have you ever heard of this?" He pressed a button and showed Cinder the black blade. Her mouth dropped when she realized that Gideon was holding the Darksaber. The sight awed the young girl, who tried to grab it. But Gideon simply pulled it away. "Oh, uh-uh-uh. You're not ready to play with such things." He stood up and looked down at Cinder. "Likely to poke an eye out. Looks like you could use... a nice, long-"
"Sleep."
Cinder felt all of her energy leave her, and she crashed onto the floor. Gideon turned around to see a Faunus with short brown hair, stripes on her shoulders, and tiger ears. She was pointing her index finger, which was glowing pink, to the sleeping child.
"Aurora," Gideon addressed the Faunus. "You came here rather quickly."
"When I heard you what you were doing, her Grace gave me permission to come to you." Aurora walked over to Cinder and picked up her head. "I'm tired of waiting. When will Watts get here?"
"Soon." Gideon turned to his communications officer, who had escorted the Faunus to the room. "When we reach Argus, send an encrypted message to Doctor Watts. Tell him we have our donor."
Author's notes: hey guys, hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know it has a lot of similarities to The Mandalorian 2x06: The Tragedy, but the next one will be pretty different.
To 54godamora, so glad you liked the last chapter. Thanks for the feedback on my ideas, I knew I was pulling a risk with Obi-Wan. But I'm glad you enjoyed everything and I hope you enjoy this one.
To RedRat8, I don't think Willow will have a need for a divorce given Jacques critical condition, but I see your point. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
To Mandalorian00, another happy letter. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
To aklike95, glad you liked Obi-Wan. I unfortunately don't have plans for Maul, but I'm glad you liked everything else. I'm glad you got my little Princess and the Frog cameo. I figured I could keep up the tradition of basing characters off fairy tales, so I chose to use that story (even though the name was based on Disney's movie). Hope you liked the chapter.
To I Fredric I, thank you for your kind words. I'm serious, hearing the words 'godly' and 'Godlike' brought a smile to my face. I'm glad you like everything and I hope you enjoyed this one.
To NacNak, glad you like this story. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
To joeyginise, I'll get more into Obi-Wan later in the story, hope you liked this chapter.
To hirshja, I understand. I might go back and fix it a little. Hope you liked this chapter.
To The Avenging Titan, really glad you liked last chapter. I like those second take moments too, that's why I put one in here. Glad you liked the other characters, especially what I did with Willow. I didn't want her to be too out of character, but I feel seeing Jacques in a powerless position would give her strength. As for Obi-Wan, I'll explain his role later in the story. I' hope you liked this chapter, thank you for the support.
To Rook435, glad my chapter lived up to your expectations. As I said before, I didn't want Willow to be too out of character, but I feel seeing Jacques in a powerless position would give her some strength. And yes, it's a little early for her depression. As for the rest, I'm glad you like how I'm doing my writing and character interactions. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
To Antex-the Legendary Zorak, glad you started reading my story, I hope you like it. If you get a chance, watch the Mandalorian. It's really good.
Thank you for reading and reviewing, I appreciate what you have to say. If you haven't already, please consider favoriting and following the story, it helps lets me know if I'm doing a good job or not. And if you haven't left a review yet, feel free to do so. I'd like to hear what you have to say.
One last thing, I may not be able to update this story very often. Between the fact that I feel these chapters should be longer and how busy things are with my life, my time to write is rare right now. Also, I may go back and fix my earlier chapters. My edits will mainly be grammar and sentence structure, but I'll let you know if I add anything. I'm sorry for the wait, but I really appreciate your patience.
With that being said, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, I'll see you next time.