Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter ten of "Not So Far." This chapter features some Ben/Rey. They will be meeting Han, Luke, and Chewie in the next few chapters. I am not sure what will happen with Marcus and Phoenix. I have not decided on them yet. Stay tuned for chapter eleven.
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Chapter 10: Getting Coconuts/To the Hut
A green parrot flew over the Tihon beach. It landed on a branch just above the middle of a tree. It grabbed a nut off the edge of the branch. It held the nut in its foot with a soft squawk. It picked a piece off with its beak and gobbled it down. It repeated its actions until the entire nut was gone. It bobbed its head before spreading its wings apart. It folded them against its back.
The parrot spotted Ben and Rey coming its way. Marcus walked alongside him. Phoenix sat on the tiger's back. It observed them passing underneath the branch. He adjusted his belt before touching his lightsaber. He touched the strap of his backpack. He grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. She squeezed his just as gently. They swung them back and forth five times. He pulled her to him, letting go of her hand to put his arm around her. She slipped her arms around his neck.
Ben and Rey hugged each other tightly while sighing very contently. He managed to kill a Tihon hog not long after talking with Anakin and Yoda with Marcus's help. He and his wife had bananas and passion fruit as side dishes with it for lunch. Marcus was given a hindquarter as a reward for the participation in this hunt as always.
The couple talked about the ups and downs of living off the land, including facing predators, looking for food, gathering firewood, and dealing with tropical cyclones not long after. They ended up kissing passionately. They made love twice times over the course of forty-five minutes. After the second lovemaking session, they decided to go hunting for coconuts.
Ben and Rey hugged once more. She planted a kiss to his cheek, getting one from him on hers in return. They looked toward the ocean, seeing pink dolphins do front flips in the surf. The entire group came to a stop. The dolphins had short beaks. Their dorsals curved a bit more backward than that of most species. Their entire bodies were light pink, save for the tips of their dorsals that were light gray.
The dolphins landed on their backs in which they created big splashes. They swam upside down. They performed backflips and hit the water on their stomachs. They surfaced with air coming from their blowholes. They opened their mouths very wide as they emitted a series of clicks and whistles. They wiggled their tongues before closing them.
Ben, Rey, Marcus, and Phoenix observed the dolphins going underwater. The dolphins leapt out of the water, reentering it just as fast. They performed a series of jumps before they disappeared beneath the surface. All of a sudden, they shot straight up in which they spun in midair. The first dolphin hit the water on its side. The second dolphin followed suit on its back. They created huge splashes.
The couple laughed in delight as the dolphins zipped through the water. The dolphins jumped in unison. They went underwater with excited squeals. They broke the surface and performed backflips. They landed on their stomachs. Ben and Rey cheered at the dolphins' repeating their actions. They observed them heading out to sea. The dolphins headed underwater, slapping their tails on the surface.
"Now, those were some playful dolphins," she said.
"Yep," he agreed and tickled her cheek. They resumed walking along with Marcus. "When I first came to this beach, I saw some pink dolphins perform acrobats."
"It's cool you got to see dolphins during your first walk on this beach," Rey said, taking his hand into hers. "In fact, it's not every day you see dolphins playing in the surf during a walk on any beach."
"Well, we played with a Tihon orca yesterday. We just watched dolphins do acrobats in the surf. I say we are the luckiest couple in the galaxy right now," Ben said with much pride.
"Whoa. What pride you have there!" Rey teased and pinched his cheek.
He smacked her hand away. "If you pinch my cheek again, you will be eating your fingers along with the coconuts we find."
She acted as if she were scared. "Oh, I am shaking."
Ben ruffled his wife's hair. She pressed a fist to his cheek before tickling it. He reached behind her to give her butt a hard pinch. She smacked him on the shoulder as they came to a stop.
"Keep your hands to yourself, you pervert!" Rey yelled in mock anger.
"I will until next time!" Ben yelled and pinched her butt again. He did another pinch, this time being harder. "I guess you better tie my hands up, so I can't go after your butt again."
"You bet I will," Rey said very playfully. "In fact, I will tie them behind your back."
"That is a good place for my hands to be. Then again, I can always grab at you with my feet," Ben commented, wiggling his eyebrows.
"I don't think so," Rey said, shaking her head.
"I do think so," Ben said with a rapid nod.
"No," Rey commented, smacking him in the back of his head.
"Yes," Ben responded, giving her a kiss on the tip of her nose.
The lovebirds resumed walking. He put his arm around her shoulder with a soft sigh. He smiled at her slipping her arms around his neck. He kissed her temple before rubbing it. They looked toward some trees, but they didn't see any coconuts.
"No coconuts yet," Ben whispered in disappointment.
"That's okay. We haven't been searching for coconuts long at all," Rey assured in gentleness.
"We've probably been searching for only five minutes," Ben suggested. "Then again, we really can't tell."
"I have to say it is very nice to be able to walk on a beach every day," Rey whispered in much excitement.
"This area has so many fish that it does not take long for us to catch many with the net," Ben said truthfully.
"You showed me how to catch fish on a line first," Rey said, raising her eyebrows.
Ben nodded. "Yep. It is best to start off simple. Then you can move up to more complicated stuff."
"I was disgusted when I watched you clean out a fish for the first time. You can't blame me because I lived on a desert world," Rey commented with a soft laugh.
"You became used to fishing, hunting animals, and gathering fruit and coconuts," Ben said with a smile.
"It is fun living off nature. It can be hard sometimes, but I enjoy the challenge," Rey said with much warmth.
"Me too," Ben agreed with a smile. "Of course, I am the better of us at living off nature."
Rey scoffed. "No, you are not."
Ben and Rey turned, stopping in their tracks at what they saw along with Marcus. Five trees containing coconuts stood a short distance away. They were in a straight line. The first and second ones leaned more forward than the other three did. Tommy and Kim let go of each other, laughing in much joy.
"All right! We found coconuts!" he yelled in excitement.
"They don't look too high off the ground," she replied as they approached the first tree. They looked up at the coconuts. "It is interesting they are filled with a lot of calories and fat, despite they are rather small."
"It takes several months for coconuts to ripen," Ben pointed out matter-of-factly. He took his backpack off his back, setting it on the sand. "I am going to climb up there and pick the coconuts. You put them in your backpack after I throw them down, okay?"
"Sure," Rey said eagerly while removing her backpack from her back and laying it next to his. "Just be careful, all right?"
"Yes, Mother," Ben commented, his voice showing much sarcasm. He let out a small snicker. "Of course, I will."
He approached the base of the trunk. He walked along the horizontal part until he got to the vertical part. He wrapped his arms around it and began climbing it slowly. She squatted down carefully. She unzipped her backpack and opened it. She looked up and swallowed hard while clasping her hands together. She breathed at a slow yet steady pace. Phoenix flapped his wings to air them out. He folded them against his back.
"Talk about a long way up, Ben," Rey said honestly.
"We've climbed trees taller than this one, Rey," Ben admitted proudly. "It is not hard at all, especially if it is a small tree."
"You once told me the trees on Endor were very tall and that the Ewoks do not have much trouble climbing them," Rey said, her face showing much awe.
"You can't wrap your arms around an Endor tree trunk. It is too thick," Ben said, going past the halfway point. "It would take a large group of people to make a circle around one."
She unclasped her hands. "At least you don't have that much further to go."
"Nope," Ben agreed, grunting as he lifted his leg. He placed his hands above his head and pushed himself upward. He repeated his actions three times. He managed to reach the top of the tree. "Now, here I am at the top!"
"Nice work, Ben," Rey cheered in delight. "Now, get to picking those coconuts."
"Yes, ma'am," Ben said, saluting her. He pulled a coconut off and tossed it down to the sand. He did his actions four more times. He watched her pick up and place each one in her backpack. "How about you toss a coconut at me?"
"No, thank you," Rey replied with a shake of her head.
"What's wrong, Rey? Are you scared?" Ben taunted.
"No way," Rey yelled.
He chuckled softly. "I say you are."
"That's what you think," Rey commented with a mock-annoyed growl.
"If you keep disagreeing, I will grab a coconut and throw it at you," Ben threatened in much playfulness.
"Do it. I dare you," Rey responded with a smirk.
Ben snorted. "Nah. I am picking some more coconuts."
He picked a coconut and threw it down to the sand. He did his actions four times. She picked up and put each one in his backpack. She rose to her full height carefully. He climbed down the tree steadily. He reached the base of the horizontal part and let go of it. He walked down it, getting to the end. She clapped three times as he walked up to her. She touched his arms, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"You did such a great job picking those coconuts," Rey complimented.
"Thank you," Ben said, standing tall and proud. "All those years of climbing trees served me well."
"The best thing about palm trees is they have groves that make climbing very easy," Rey pointed out. "You told me it was best to climb palm trees barefoot because shoes could injure them and make them vulnerable to disease when I first came here."
"Yeah," Ben said, clasping his hands together. "No one likes a diseased tree. It can't grow anything, not even leaves."
"However, diseased trees are good for animals that rely on them for raising their young," Rey said and cleared her throat.
"Oh, yes," Rey agreed. "Those trees we have found bird eggs in may not have been diseased, but they would've been good for other animals if they were."
"Anyway, let's get back to the hut and sort out these coconuts," Ben suggested and cleared his throat. "I am eager for it."
The lovebirds closed their backpacks, zipping them shut. They picked them up and placed them over their shoulders. They held hands as they headed down the beach. They listened to the squawking of parrots.
00000
Ben, Rey, Marcus, and Phoenix reached the hut within five minutes. They sighed in relief and went inside. They stopped next to the table and took their backpacks off their backs. Marcus sat down as Phoenix flew off his shoulder and landed on the table. Ben and Rey laid their backpacks on the table, unzipping them. They reached inside, taking out each of their coconuts and laying them on it. They looked at each other, forming big smiles on their faces.
"I can't believe how many coconuts you picked!" she exclaimed.
"I can't either," he agreed. "After you heal from giving birth, you can pick them again yourself."
"Yeah," Rey replied and tapped the tip of his nose with her finger. "You told me coconut is fresh if the water tastes sweet, but it has gone bad if it tastes rancid."
"Mm-hmm," Ben admitted, kissing her forehead.
"I remember you telling me I had to crack it open with a cleaver or an axe and use a knife to get the meat out of the shell. Then I had to cut stuff off the meat before eating it as a side dish," Rey explained.
"It is so easy," Ben said with much pride. "I have to say you look like one of those hootchie-cootchie girls my dad looked at a few times."
"No, I don't," Rey said, shaking her head.
"Yes, you do," Ben said, nodding fast.
"No, I don't," Rey said and blew a raspberry.
"Yes, you do," Ben responded and made a funny noise.
"No, I don't," Rey said and smacked him upside.
"Yes, you do," Ben commented and tweaked her nose. "That's final. In fact, I might as well do this."
He grabbed two coconuts and held them against his chest. He proceeded to move them up and down.
"You're a hootchie-cootchie girl! You're a hootchie-cootchie girl!" Ben taunted and spun the coconuts. He spoke gibberish before acting as if he were throwing them upward. "You're a hootchie-cootchie girl! You're a hootchie-cootchie girl!"
"I am not!" Rey retorted playfully. "You better cut that out! I mean it!"
He turned around in circles. "Hootchie-cootchie! Hootchie-cootchie!"
She growled in mock annoyance. "All right! You asked for it!"
She walked over to the bed and grabbed the pillow. She went over to him as he faced her. She smacked him in the face very hard. He fell on his back, dropping the coconuts. He twitched twice before losing consciousness. She threw the pillow on the bed. She moved closer to him. She screamed when he regained consciousness and roared as if he were a tiger. She shook her finger at him.
"You are such a meanie, Ben!" Rey yelled and blew a raspberry.
"I am proud to be a meanie," Ben said with pride. "You are not changing me at all."
"Okay," Rey said as her husband rose to his feet. Phoenix flew to her shoulder and landed on it. "Just change your hair at some point."
"Sure. Anyway, I would love to see city people try to live off nature. "There is little doubt in my mind they wouldn't be able to do it," Ben commented and suppressed a yawn.
"Unkar would be able to live here since he is built for water," Rey murmured and sighed in relief. "I am so glad I do not have to deal with him anymore."
"That guy was mean to you, Rey," Phoenix said and bobbed his head.
"Yes, he was," Rey agreed and smacked her lips.
"He would be shocked to see how much you've changed if he ever saw you again," Ben said and bit his lip.
"I know," Rey agreed. "I used to be a lowly scavenger. Now, I am a Jedi padawan expecting a child with my master."
"Pregnancy is a great way to demonstrate probability. The chances of having a boy or a girl is fifty percent," Ben explained. "It is such an interesting topic."
"You are right," Rey said as she balled her hand into a fist. She pressed it against his cheek. She planted a kiss to it. "It is a lot of fun figuring out the chances of certain scenarios happening."
"Probability can be applied to animals quite well. For example, a Tihon tiger cub has just a twenty percent chance of making it to adulthood," Ben pointed out.
"A mother tiger can have up to seven cubs in one litter, but it is likely only two will make it to adulthood," Rey whispered sadly. "It doesn't seem fair, but it is what it is."
"It is what it is," Phoenix squawked.
Ben grabbed the coconuts and laid them on the table. Marcus stood up and walked over to him. He rubbed his side against the young man's leg. Ben scratched him under his chin.
"I never saw myself climbing a palm tree to pick coconuts in all of my life," Rey admitted.
"Most people don't," Ben responded, picking up a coconut. "I remember when Uncle Luke showed me how to poke holes in coconuts to get at the water. He allowed me to have some before drinking any himself."
"Owen and Beru may not have been your uncle's real parents, but they loved him like he was their own," Rey whispered.
"My grandfather dreamed of leaving Tatooine to become a Jedi. He got his wish when Qui-Gon came into his life along with Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan was responsible for his and my uncle's training," Ben whispered, smiling lightly. "He was a great master to both of them."
"Unfortunately, your grandfather cut Luke's training short by slaying Obi-Wan. Yoda took over for a short time before Luke left him to rescue your parents after having a vision of them in trouble. Luke lost his hand and resumed training on his own after he recovered. He returned to complete the last of it, but he found Yoda was dying," Rey said, frowning.
Ben sighed in a heavy way. "He got confirmation from Yoda my grandfather was his father. He learned from Obi-Wan that my mother was his sister. He did not want to face him, but he had to in order to save the galaxy."
Rey swallowed hard. "No one wants to believe they can be the offspring of a monster. Sometimes, the monster used to be a good person."
Ben nodded in agreement as Phoenix flew to the window and landed on the windowsill. He tossed the coconut into the air, catching it easily. He repeated both of his actions four times. He tapped it on top of his wife's head very gently. She couldn't help but laugh.
"What are you trying to do, crack open the coconut on my head?" she teased.
"Yeah," he answered, pulling the coconut away. He narrowed his eyes at it. "In fact, I can see a crack in it."
"That means I have a very hard head," Rey said, touching the top of her head. She snatched it out of his hands and tapped it on his. "I hope I make another crack in this coconut."
"I think you will. I have a very hard head," Ben commented and put his hands behind his back.
Rey pulled it away and narrowed her eyes at it. "I made another crack in the coconut."
"Great," Ben responded in happiness. "How about I take it from you and hit you in the head with it until I form about another crack?"
"No way," Rey yelled and blew a raspberry.
"Yes way," Ben said and grabbed it away from her. "Ha, ha. I got the coconut now."
"Now, hit me on the head with it. Form another crack in it," Rey threatened with playfulness. "I dare you."
Ben shook his head. "Nah. I think we have enough cracks in the coconut."
"Spoilsport," Rey mumbled.
"I heard that," Ben retorted and pointed his finger in her face.
"That you did," Rey said, giggling loudly. She grabbed his finger and shook it at a slow yet steady pace. "Perhaps I could keep shaking your finger forever."
He pulled his finger away from her. "I am not so sure about that."
Ben and Rey shared three sweet kisses. They rubbed noses and pressed their foreheads together. They stayed this way for thirty seconds before pulling apart. He flicked her nose twice.
"I am going to go to the bathroom," Ben said.
"Okay," Rey replied, nodding.
He cleared his throat. "I will be back in a minute."
Rey watched her husband head out of the hut. She shifted her attention to the coconuts and proceeded to examine each of them.