Ending 4: The Path of Balance (Light Grey Anon)

>You let out a deep, slow breath, once more closing your eyes as you prepare for what must be done.
>You may not like it, you may even hate it---but it’s the only way you see yourself surviving.
>Scorpan must open himself up to attack, for although you know it could be possible to attack him now, you doubt that you can achieve it.
>And that doubt is enough to make you hesitate, and choose a less savory path.
>The choice, while grim, is easier than you had thought, much to your dismay.
>Flash is your friend and ally, but Noteworthy…
>You bear him no hate.
>This will end what you started when you turned him in.
>You try to tell yourself that Scorpan will be his executioner, for he is forcing you into this act, but you know that this is entirely your fault.
>Noteworthy left the Jedi because you did, and when he planned to leave the Sith he tried to bring you with him.
>But even as lost as you were when he did, you still made the choice to imprison him.
>Now, you are making the choice to end his life.
>For what?
>Balance?
>What of the balance of his life---what fair and just end is this for his story?
>You will make it quick, but you will take no satisfaction in it.
>But that doesn’t make it any easier.
>Even now, as you hear him humming and whimpering, you can feel his fear.
>Somehow, he knows that everything he is, everything he ever was and will be, is about to end.
>Despair fills him as he cries, wishing he was stronger.
>He thinks of home, of the life he left, of the love he found, and how he will never see any of them again.
>How he betrayed his friends, and how the person he admired, the one who had saved his life and given him something to stride towards, was now going to take the life he saved.
>He feels the existential pain of not knowing if anything inside of him, his soul and conscience, will survive the transition of death, and he silently cries out in crisis.
>With your lightsaber up, you mutter your final words to him.
“I’m so sorry.”
>And with one slash, one single stroke, you sever his life from the mortal realm.
>You feel him pass in an instant, his spirit fading and disseminating into the Force.
>All that is left is you, standing over his body, breathing softly as you consider what you have done.
>A great many things run through you: guilt, anger, regret, pity and more.
>You feel as though a black mark has been stamped upon your soul, an act of permanent ink that will, in some ways, haunt you for all time.
>The silence the fills the room now from his humming cut short only heightens the troubling thoughts that fill your mind.
>You saved his life, once---and now you have taken it from him and cannot give it back.
>Nearby, Scorpan seems to calm down a bit as he looks at you.
>It seems he is pleased, marginally, that you actually did it.
>It has restored some sense of the illusion that he controls you, and so he finds himself slightly more composed.
>”About what I expected, Nito.” He shakes his head distastefully. “I should have known you couldn’t kill your pitiful friend.”
>He descends from the upper platform, still pointing the remote at you.
>”Because he is a Jedi, isn’t he? Because you saved them. You still think you can. I know you! I created you!”
>You finally meet his gaze as he smugly reacts by holding his thumb over the button.
>”Perhaps I should destroy you anyway… I have the power to. You failed me…”
>Waiting to see what he does, you deactivate your lightsaber and slide it into your holster.
“Do what you will.”
>Something about your words seems to set him off.
>Perhaps it is your defiance, or your refusal to call him lord or master.
>But he does not press the button.
>”No… No, I won’t destroy you. I will simply reprogram you. That is what one does to a defective droid… A memory wipe, some new replacement parts. When I’m done with you, I doubt there will even be several pounds of living flesh in your system!”
>He moves closer, his eyes narrowed slits as he all but spits in your face.
>”I will cut out every disobedient thought from your body! I will replace it with cold, hard, unfeeling machinery! Nothing will be left of you! When I am through, you will forget you ever existed at all! Everything you ever did will have no meaning! Not saving your friends, not sparing this insignificant whelp---” he points to Flash, “---NOTHING!”
>You do not reply further as he rants and raves, slowly growing angrier and angrier.
>Instead you simply stand, watching, waiting.
>When his anger reaches its zenith, he turns away and walks back up to the platform as he says, “Now, we will proceed to the surgical center and remove what remains of your impudence!”
>As he steps up onto the stone, you reach out and, with the Force, gently grab his leg and pull him backwards.
>So caught up in himself, so self-assured that you would obey since you did as he asked, he was exactly the right kind of distracted for you to do so.
>When he falls, he hits his head on the stone corner of the platform, dropping the remote.
>For you, it almost all happens in slow motion as you watch the remote fall, set to land on its button, killing you.
>But with the Force, you react faster than anyone else in the room, and you pull the remote out of the air and to your grasp.
>When you to, when you feel your hand wrap around it, you let out a breath you had been holding for those few tense moments when you knew you had to focus the most.
>Now the remote is in your hand and your destiny is once more your own.
>But not without obstacles.
>Your mechanical hand wraps around your lightsaber and all but tears it out of your holster, and with one clean and quick cut, you sever the link between the cuffs on Flash’s wrists.
>As Scorpan groans and starts to pick himself up, he realizes what is happening.
>”STOP HIM!” he cries, enraged.
>Both of his acolytes move in with their electro-batons, brandishing them high to stop you.
>You want to attack Scorpan, but if you do, it would leave you open to them, and so you turn and block both of their strikes.
>The electrical heads of their weapons serve as a foil to your lightsaber’s magnetic field, allowing their weapons to remain unharmed as they come into contact with yours.
>One of them reaches for his own lightsaber, but as he does, he is suddenly tackled to the ground by Flash, who proceeds to wrestle the electro-baton out of his grip before smashing his face with it.
>You then parry the other acolyte’s next attack before using your wrist’s rotating function to spin your saber faster than he can react, cutting his head off.
>You watch as Flash pummels his opponent in the face with the baton, bashing in the mask under his hood and cracking it.
>After knocking his opponent out, he grabs the man’s lightsaber and activates it before standing up.
>He meets your gaze, and you can see in his eyes that although he does not condone what you have done, he understands why and is still ready to fight at your side.
>And so when you both turn to face Scorpan, staggering up to his feet with a bloody forehead, you do so together, reunited with a common purpose.
>”You… YOU… INSOLENT, PATHETIC CUR!” he shouts, taking out his lightsaber. “The bomb is too good for you! I will destroy you slowly, I will make you scream in pain! The torment you endured before will be nothing, NOTHING compared to what I will do to you now!”
>Bringing up the remote, you crush it by using the Force to compact it in such a way that it does not trigger the detonation by destroying its internal circuits.
>Once this is done, you drop the metal to the ground.
“Your words mean nothing to me now. You mean nothing to me now. I’m afraid this is where our time together ends.”
>His lips curl away from his teeth in a vicious snarl.
>”DIE!” he screams, holding up his hand and blasting you with lightning.
>You react by holding your lightsaber arm out in front of you to absorb the blast, but although the lightning passes through your metal arm and reaches your flesh and you can absorb it with Tutaminis, this ends up frying the circuits in your left arm.
>Your lightsaber falls from your grip as the limb becomes limp, allowing him to blast your chest.
>Gritting your teeth and focusing as hard as you can, despite the pain, you absorb his lightning as it chars your clothing and burns your skin.
>Whatever you do, you must not allow it to reach the bomb in your head!
>Grunting in pain, you bring up your hand and begin using the Force to direct the lightning into your palm, allowing you to better absorb and concentrate the energy, keeping it from circulating throughout your body.
>Scorpan scowls and shouts, but Flash leaps several yards forward and lands in front of him, swinging his lightsaber at the bothan.
>This stops him from using his lightning as he focuses on defending himself, parrying Flash’s attack and responding with a swing of his own.
>You are down on one knee, your mechanical arm now hanging uselessly at your side, as you attempt to overcome the pain from his barrage of lightning.
>You channel the energy, focusing it within you, keeping it controlled with every ounce of willpower you possess.
>When you look up, you see Flash dueling Scorpan, vigorously taking on the Sith Lord despite his fatigued and wounded body.
>His spirit drives him, but Scorpan has the upper hand.
>The bothan begins to push him back, and very soon will have the opening he needs to strike.
>”Foolish Jedi!” he says, hammering away at Flash’s meager but enduring defense. “Do you think you can defeat me? You will die, just as your friend will!”
>Flash does not give up, and continues fighting even as his tortured muscles strain beyond the point of exhaustion.
>You know you must do something, or else your choice will have meant nothing!
>Raising your hand, you point it at Scorpan.
Desperately, you shout, “FLASH, GET BACK!”
>He hears you and unquestioningly leaps upwards into the air, back-flipping away from Scorpan as he swings at the Padawan’s feet.
>When he is clear, you unleash all of the energy you have collected, focusing it into a new form, a kind of combination of telekinesis and lightning.
>This ball of electricity flies towards him, a beacon of blue light that strikes him in the chest and sends him hurtling backwards against the stairs.
>Scorpan shouts in surprised pain as he is hit and lands, once again smacking his head on the stones, groaning as he attempts to pick himself back up.
>Grabbing your lightsaber in your only remaining hand, you leap from the ground up to him and bring the lightsaber down upon his prone form, but he is able to block it.
>You stand over him now, lightsabers locked as you push down against him, staring him in the eyes.
>Blood runs down his forehead as his red eyes flare with hate.
>He shouts, “I gave you those eyes! I gave you everything that makes you powerful!”
“And now I give you your end!” you shout back.
>But with his two arms against your own, his strength begins to win out.
>That is until Flash runs back up and stabs downwards, impaling his crimson blade through Scorpan’s shoulder.
>With a pained cry, Scorpan lets go with one hand and pushes you both back with the Force, giving him a chance to get back up.
>He holds his shoulder, but has not lost use of his arm as he pounds the wound, drawing strength from the pain.
>”You both will die in anguish!” he proclaims, running down to attack.
>Flash, up on his feet first, grabs your mechanical arm and pulls you up to your feet.
>”Come on,” he says to you. “Let’s end this!”
>You nod and run alongside him to meet the Sith Lord, all three blades meeting in the center of the platform as you both block his first attack.
>With two pushing against him, Scorpan snarls and steps back before attacking again.
>You are hindered by your arm, Flash is exhausted, and Scorpan is wounded, but the odds aren’t quite evened out.
>Even with two on one, he still has an advantage over you both with his skill and rage.
>You and Flash are both skilled in your own ways, but the damage you have both sustained is taking its toll.
>Scorpan is relentless, battering away at you both with fast and powerful strikes, keeping you from gaining much ground or balance over the course of several minutes.
>Even your double-defense does not keep him at bay, as he manages to find more and more ways to get around it.
>All the while, your mechanical arm hangs limply, dead weight that keeps you from being as proficient as you could be.
>He pushes you both to the platform’s edge, managing to twist and kick you off while Flash remains.
>You hit the ground and grunt a bit, trying to pick yourself up with your one good arm while your fellow Padawan duels for his life.
>Scorpan has him at the edge, both of the platform and of his physical limits, and when he sees his opening he takes it.
>Knocking Flash’s saber wide to the left, he brings his own weapon down low before raising it with a quick, single chop, severing Flash’s right arm just below the elbow.
>The hapan shouts as his arm falls, and Scorpan pushes him away with the Force.
>You watch him land nearby, his charred stump clearly visible.
>Your eyes widen as you behold his wounded form, then stray back up to Scorpan as he laughs.
>The Sith Lord laughs long and hard, amused greatly by all that has transpired.
>”Pathetic!” he says triumphantly. “All of you… Weak! Pathetic! Worthless!”
>You feel a great anger welling up within you as you push yourself to stand back up, hunched over slightly before straightening completely.
>He looks upon you now self-assured in his victory, a smug grin painting his face.
>”You have lost,” he grins. “First, I will destroy you. Slowly. You will die on my experimentation table.”
>His eyes drift over to Flash and he continues, “And then, perhaps… I will have a new apprentice.”
“Never,” you mutter, bringing your lightsaber up to your face.
>With two clean movements, you slice what remains of your mask in half, letting the two burnt pieces fall to the ground.
>Then, you open your mouth and breathe your first unfiltered breath in a long, long time.
>And even though the air is of Korriban, it is wonderful---not stale, but alive.
>Scorpan watches this with a distasteful look on his face as he lets out a dismissive grunt.
>”Enjoy your final breaths, then,” he says, pointing the tip of his blade at you. “They’ll end very soon.”
>You look once more at Flash, now cradling his wounded arm close to his chest.
>He’s out of the fight, but you aren’t.
>There is a resolve that fills you as you become inspired by the sight of him, the parallels of the pain he is facing with that of your own.
>As this new motivation fills you, a determination to ensure that Flash never endures the same pain at this Sith’s hands that you did, your fake finger’s twitch.
>Then, your fist closes and you bring up your mechanical arm, powered once more.
>Not by electricity or the servos within, but by the Force.
>With your fist firmly clenched in defiance, you hold it up at him, your face grim and full of purpose.
“If I must destroy you alone, I will.”
>Before Scorpan can let slide another smug, self-satisfied remark, a new voice rings out through the hall.
>”But you won’t… Not alone.”
>You lower your arm and look back as two figures enter through the main gate of the academy, stepping over dead bodies of guards.
>Master Luna and Sunset Shimmer.
>As sudden elation fills you, you sense something else rising within Scorpan: doubt.
>Luna approaches, a green lightsaber in her hand---your lightsaber, the Arbitrator.
>She looks upon Flash, reacting for a moment, before looking at Scorpan.
>”You have wounded my apprentices far enough. Never again.”
>Sunset activates both ends of her saberstaff as she looks at him with a fierce fire in her eyes.
>”Hello… Master,” she all but spits at him. “It’s been too long.”
>And you turn to face him once more, now standing alongside them both.
>Scorpan, suddenly at a loss for words, steps back.
>”So…” he finally says as he attempts to compose himself. “You have come to die alongside your pupils, Master Luna.”
>”No. I have come to save them. I will start by ending your life.”
>”Revenge is not the Jedi way…” he begins, but Luna cuts him off.
>”Then it is a good thing that I am no longer a member of the Jedi Council.”
>And then, as one, all three of you leap up onto the platform to attack him.
>With your arm once more in motion, you fight harder and faster than before, bringing a newfound ferocity to bear against him.
>Sunset is equally determined, having many aggressions of her own to work out against her former master, but it is Master Luna who truly begins to push him back.
>She is in the middle, between you both, attacking him with all of her skill and experience, which vastly outweighs his own.
>Though he puts up what could be considered an admirable defense, he is forced to back up quickly, and the terrain is not on his side.
>He hits the stairs and trips upon them, falling on his back.
>Still he attempts to defend himself, but when he swings, you bring up your fake arm and purposefully catch his blade on the cortosis, shorting it out.
>Then, as his lightsaber deactivates, Sunset cuts off the hand that wields it.
>It falls to the floor, the lightsaber rolling away from his red fingers as Luna holds her emerald blade up to his neck.
>It took less than thirty seconds from the moment you three leapt up to now for him to be defeated.
>”No…” he gasps. “No… This cannot be…”
>”You are beaten,” Luna tells him. “Make peace with the Force now, for something worse awaits you in death.”
>Although he has been angry since this encounter began, now his face contorts into an enraged form unlike any you’ve ever seen him wear.
>”I will not perish! I am Sith! I am---“
>You stab him in the side with your lightsaber, not killing him but enough to make him stop talking and shout.
Then, you look at Master Luna. “Master, with all due respect, Flash requires attention.”
>Luna meets your gaze, looking at you for a moment before replying, “I leave this one to you, Anon,” referring to the wounded Sith.
>She then turns and rushes to aid her other Padawan as you and Sunset are left with Scorpan.
>You withdraw your lightsaber and look at her.
“What are you thinking? Torture?”
>”A quick death is too good for him,” she admits. “But still…”
>Scorpan chokes a bit and he opens his mouth to spew what you assume will be more drivel, but is strangely poignant. “I made you both!” To Sunset in particular, he says, “If it weren't for me, you would never have joined the Jedi!”
>She blinks a few times, stricken by his words, but does not allow them to affect her.
>She looks at you and says, “He's right, bizarrely enough. In a way, he's responsible for us meeting. If it weren’t for him and his horrible teachings, I would never have felt compelled to leave the Sith and join the Jedi. Well, maybe not never… but he sped it up.”
You let out a small chuckle as you look at him. “I guess I should thank you, then. Too bad you won't be around for it to matter.”
>He responds with utter contempt, revulsion and, as to be expected, denial. “You can't kill me... I made you! I made you!”
>You bring up a boot and stomp on the wound in his side, silencing him once more.
“The only thing you made was your own end.” You lift your boot again and think about stepping back down, only harder. “I want to do everything you did to me, only worse. I want to torture you like you tortured me.”
>He looks up at you, angry yet fear is present in his eyes as well.
>And you realize that even if you were to do to him as he did to you, it wouldn’t bring you peace.
>All it would do is turn you into him.
>Sunset knows this as well, and places her hand upon your shoulder, gently squeezing you, encouraging you to let go.
>With a deep breath, you let go your anger.
>Well, not all of it.
“But… I also can't stand the thought of you living a single second more, even if that time is spent in agony, because no matter what I do to you now, what awaits you in death is even worse.” You hold up your lightsaber and position it above him. “So goodbye, Scorpan. I'd say it was a pleasure, but... Well, it wouldn't be right to lie to my master.”
>Before he can get the last word in, you drop your weapon arm and cut him down.
>One nice, clean cut, and his head rolls from his shoulders onto the stairs behind him, where it comes to a rest with his eyes, wide with rage and fear, stare up at the ceiling as they glass over.
>And so, with one stroke, just as it was with Noteworthy, the deed is done and Scorpan is no more.
>Sunset immediately pulls you into a hug, burying her face in your neck.
>She’s so warm…
>”Anon, I'm so glad, I...”
“I know. Me too.”
>She pulls away and looks at your face.
>It must seem like a mess to her… your scars, the bits of mask left behind that are fused to your face…
>But she doesn’t care, because she has you at last.
>The kiss that follows leaves all of the others you shared behind.
>It is long, passionate and loving, as she holds you close.
>You deactivate your lightsaber and drop it to the floor, no longer needing it as you bring your arms up to tightly hug her as the kiss deepens.
>It occurs to you that this is the first kiss you have shared since you left the Jedi and became Nito.
>But it’s so much more than all of the others---perhaps it was the time spent apart, or the terrible events that happened during, or the fact that you two are simply so happy to be reunited even amidst this darkness and death.
>Neither of you care too much, for you are far too focused on each other instead.
>When she finally pulls apart from you and smiles, your heart soars and you feel as though you could fly away with it.
>Her warmth, the softness of her touch, the infectious happiness she exudes.
>You know that everything up until now, all the highs and the lows, was worth it just to see that smile once more.
>”I missed you,” she whispers. “When Master Lunas detected the Shatterpoint, we came as soon as we could. We were waiting for it, but we didn't know when or where it would happen. If only we had gotten here sooner...”
>Her eyes drift then over to Noteworthy’s body, and your spirit lowers as you must once again face the reality of what you have done.
“No, Noteworthy isn't dead because of Scorpan.” She looks at you, concerned, as you say, “He put us in this situation, but... I swung the sword. I killed him. With him holding the remote up, ready to kill me if I didn't kill one of them for the Sacrifice...”
>Her lips part as her face shows her concern.
>Shaking her head, she touches your chin and lifts your head to meet her gaze as she insists, “You can't blame yourself. He made you do it.”
“But I chose it. I chose Flash over him. I condemned him to die...”
>Now, Master Luna’s voice is heard again as she stands near Flash, who is in a sitting position.
>“What is done is done. Now all that is left is for us to pick up the pieces. Flash is alive, which is good, but we mustn't linger before more of the Sith arrive.”
>”It’s alright, Anon,” Flash says, his voice weak. He struggles to speak, but continues, “If I were in your position… I don’t know what I would have done. But you could have died…”
>Luna helps Flash to stand. “We can speak more on this in time. We must leave now.”
>A sudden thought enters your mind.
“Wait, there is someone else. Another student in the academy, who planned to escape with Noteworthy before I... I can't leave him here.”
>You have to get Braeburn, you simply must.
>Luna nods. “I understand. I will meet you in the hanger.”
>With Sunset at your side, you run through the academy, cutting down more guards that get in your way as you do.
>The prison block alone has several guards, including the lead jailor.
>Working together, you and Sunset make quick work of them.
>You catch a glimpse of her prowess, which has greatly improved in her time under Luna.
>She has been training all along, all the while as she searched the galaxy for you.
>When you kill the lead jailor, you grab his key and use it to open the cells.
>There are various prisoners who begin to filter out, but you push past them in search of Braeburn.
>You find him in the corner of a cell, bruised and a bit malnourished, but it’s unmistakably him.
>He looks up and squints. “Nito...”
“No. Not anymore. Come on, I'm getting you out of here. “
>You walk over and pull him up, but he struggles.
>”You got me in here… Get off’a me!” he says, pulling out of your grasp.
You remain calm. “Scorpan is dead. I killed him. Now it’s time to go!”
>He blinks a few times, looking at your face.
>He nods, but then says, “Wait... No, no, wait---Note! We need to get Noteworthy!”
>Energy returns to him as he pushes himself to stand.
>”Come on! He’s gotta be in one’a these here cells. Let’s find him and---“
You cut him off. “I'm sorry, but we can't. He's gone.”
>”Gone?” he says softly. “You don’t mean…”
>As he trails off, you nod.
>At first, there is little reaction as the news hits him, but then he leans against the wall, his eyes locked in a faraway stare.
>”What? Who? How?”
>So many questions, but they all only need one answer.
“I did it.”
>He stares at you now with blank eyes, then curls his hand into a fist and smashes it across your face.
>In a moment he is on top of you, raining punches.
>”You bastard! You son of a bitch! What did he ever do to you, huh? What did we ever do?! You turned us in, you turned us in and now you kill him?! I’ll---“
>Sunset grabs his hand and stops the next punch. “He was forced to by Scorpan! He took Scorpan's life!”
>Braeburn shakes his head. “A lot of good that does now! He's gone! He's gone, damn you! You killed him!”
>He looks back down at you, wrapping one hand around your neck.
>As he squeezes, you manage to speak as Sunset tries to pry him off.
“I know you hate me for what I have done. I can't tell you why... Nothing I say will ever justify it. But I couldn't let you rot in this cell to die or be executed by the Sith.”
>Sunset, now grabbing him by both pits, pulls him off of you and drags him into the corner where he struggles, but eventually gives up, taking deep breaths.
>”No? Well, you might as well have just stuck your blade in my heart and killed me anyway with what you've done.”
>You sit up, rubbing your neck.
“Hate me, but live. Get out of here and live. It's what Noteworthy would have wanted.”
>He wrenches an arm out of Sunset’s grasp and shouts, “Don't pretend to speak for him you bastard! You don't know what he wanted! He wanted to escape, and live free from people like you!  You goddamned Jedi and Sith... Let go of me!”
>Sunset does and he stands up, dusting himself off.
>He gives you another look and raises his hand, opening his mouth to speak, but no words come.
>He then throws his hand down in disgust and walks out of the cell.
>Sunset crawls over and helps you up. “Are we going after him?”
“Let him go. He'll take his ship and get out of here. That's all I can ask for.”
>You and she then leave the prison, running up to the hanger where the other prisoners have reached and are actively commandeering vessels.
>Luna is on the entry ramp of yours, holding your lightsaber out so as to dissuade any attempts to take the ship.
>When she sees you both, she waves you over and calls out, “Get on board!”
>You both make it up the ramp and you hit the panel to close it as Luna walks towards the cockpit. “I've set the coordinates. Let us leave this dreadful planet. I think I may speak for all of us when I say that we have each had enough of it to last a lifetime.”
“Where are we going?” you ask from the doorway as she sits down.
>”Yavin 4. I have seen the Jedi gathering there.”
“How is Flash?”
“Resting. His condition is stable. Though he is wounded, his body and mind are in good health all things considered. He remained strong in captivity.”
You nod. “He kept his faith in the light, in the Force. More than I did…”
>Your voice trails off as Sunset holds you.
>Luna pilots the ship out of the hanger as she speaks. “You must not despair, my Padawan. Your journey into darkness is ended.”
>You look out over the horizon of Korriban and wonder.
“Is it? The Shatterpoint... the choice I made...”
>Luna senses your doubt. “I know. I sensed your choice the moment you made it. I could see the options you faced, but I couldn't see what you would do. The Shatterpoint clouded my sight of the future, it kept me from seeing anything beyond that one critical moment, and even that was obscured to me...
“What do you mean, master?”
>”The Force would not let me see the time or place it would happen. In a way, it conspired to keep me away, for you could only have made the choice. Not Scorpan, not Flash, not Noteworthy... no one but you. It was your moment.”
>You are silent as Sunset holds your hand.
Meeting her gaze, all you can do is wonder aloud, “But did I make the right choice?”
>Luna looks back.
>”Right or wrong are things I cannot always discern, my Padawan. But you are alive. Flash is alive. Noteworthy may not be... but neither is Scorpan. And you could not have simply waited for us to arrive, even if you had known we were coming. He would have used that remote and you would be no more.”
“I suppose you’re right,” you mutter. “Still… If I could have saved them both…”
>”Anon, don’t,” Sunset says, bringing up your hand to kiss. “You did what you could have done. When you made the choice, you did what you thought was best. Even if you thought there was a way to save both of them, your doubt alone would have kept it from working.”
“I know,” you whisper, looking into her eyes. “I’ll just have to learn to live with what I’ve done.”
>”That is all we can do,” Master Luna says as the ship makes the jump to hyperspace.
>She rises from the chair and walks back, placing a hand on your shoulder.
>”I am just glad that you are still with me, Anon. That all of us are once more reunited.”
>Your master pulls you in for a hug, her hand resting on the back of your head.
>”Your trials have ended… We are together once more.”
>Sunset joins the hug as well, both of them tightly holding onto you as you return their embrace.
>For a few moments, you simply enjoy each other’s company before Luna opens her arms and allows you both to leave the cockpit.
>Flash is resting in the crew quarters, but there are other places on the ship for you and Sunset to be alone in.
>Words are exchanged, stories of your time apart swapped, but these are paltry things compared to what you both desire.
>Soon, words are replaced by kissing, and happiness at being reunited takes a backseat to rising passion.
>In the cargo hold of the ship, atop a crate with a blanket hastily strewn over it, you both begin to shed your clothing.
>She feels your scars and your arm, gently kissing each one and the cut flesh where the metal meets the socket.
>The scars around your eyes, your cheeks, your mouth, she misses not one.
>Her hands run up and down your back as you move, breathing heavily.
>Her own breath comes in short bursts as your bodies move, chests heaving, sweat running across your skin.
>It’s sloppy, it’s inexperienced, it’s not the most romantic sight, but neither of you care, so enraptured as you are in each other’s bodies.
>At one point you kiss her and your head accidentally bump into one of her small horns, making her laugh as you pull back and rub it.
>You smile and resume your kiss, hungry and passionate, as she moans into your mouth.
>At one point she breaks the kiss and pulls you down upon her, holding as much of your body as she can against hers while she breathes in your ear.
>”I love you,” she whispers.
“I love you,” you return, kissing her neck.
>You are not disturbed for the duration of the trip---neither Flash nor Luna walk in on you.
>The former is enjoying his rest and the latter is likely politely giving you time alone.
>But eventually, the ship stops and drops out of hyperspace, and it’s time for you two to get dressed.
“Ready to go?” you ask your companion as you both lay beneath the blanket.
>”Noooo… I don’t wanna get dressed yet,” she says with a lazy, playful grin.
"Come on, we've gotta go," you say, putting a hand on her side and tickling her a bit.
>She nearly jumps from beneath the blanket, but especially when you pinch her bottom with your metal hand.
>"Ow! That stung!" she says in mock protest as she slaps your chest.
>This is followed by an additional series of tickles and pinches until she, in a fit of giggles, rolls over to her robe.
>She throws it at your face before pinning you down, laughing all the while until you roll her over and get on top, taking the robe off.
>You behold her joyous smile and can only kiss her.
>After you and she redress and join Master Luna, you look out of the window to behold Yavin 4.
>It is a magnanimous sight, for this is where your story began, in a way, after Kessel.
>It is where you met everyone you have come to treasure, some of whom are no longer with you.
>Including the one who brought you there originally, Grand Master Celestia.
>Sunset reaches for your hand and holds it as Luna guides the ship towards the temple, landing outside of the Jedi Academy.
>With Flash, up and active despite his injuries, you descend down the ramp and approach the temple.
>As you do, the Jedi emerge.
>Not all of them have arrived yet, but several have, and they run to greet you.
>Flash is immediately given medical attention and brought to the temple's healing ward to be attended to by Master Redheart.
>Meanwhile, you and Sunset are reunited with some of your friends, and over the course of the next few days, more arrive.
>By the end of the week, the entirety of the surviving Jedi Order has reconvened upon the planet.
>In that time, you have done many things and had some things done to you.
>Master Redheart's extensive skills and the facilities of the temple allow her to repair much of the damage to your body.
>Over the course of several procedures, she removes the bomb in your head, taking great care to not tamper with it so as to set it off.
>This is the most difficult procedure, requiring masterful use of both her tools and the Force.
>But she succeeds, and replaces your hard robotic eyes with synthetic, softer replacements, ones that mimic the feel and appearance of real eyes in both form and function.
>What remains of the plastic frame that was fused to your skin is removed, and scar tissue repaired.
>Finally, your fake arm is removed, and after three days of waiting, a new arm is forged.
>This one is synthetic, but much like your new eyes, mimics the feel and appearance of a real arm, with sensitive skin and hairs, seamlessly connected to your stump.
>You can hardly tell where the real flesh ends and the replacement begins.
>After so long going without something to feel with, the relief from the phantom pain is almost dreamlike.
>Flash, too, is given an arm to match, and your shared experience of having the replacement is a strong bonding point between you both.
>Though your body still bears many scars, Redheart is able to heal much of it, restoring you to what makes you feel like a state of normality.
>Joined by the others, you spend a day reminiscing about a great many things here, including paying a visit to the small secluded meditation area you shared with Sunset.
>Here, you and she once again meditate, joining your minds through the Force and becoming closer.
>You also spend time with the others, especially Pinkie Pie, telling her the fate of Maud.
>The zeltron spends a day to herself to contemplate this, but in the end it does not ruin her spirit.
>She is terribly sad, but is happy that Maud felt so strongly about her choice, and even if she only got to glimpse her briefly in the temple, she’ll always treasure those memories she has of her.
>In time, however, once the remaining masters are assembled, the future of the Order is discussed.
>You and the others are present for this assembly, during which troubling information is brought to light.
>Shining Armor, having received reports from the navy, and Gummy, the barabel pilot for the temple and one of the few to leave and return with supplies and news, lay out the situation as it has unfolded.
>The Republic, while not in chaos, is in disarray.
>The sudden appearance of the Force Hunters, along with a sizeable fleet of ships, repelled the bulk of the Sith fleet from Coruscant.
>The changeling attack on the senate was initially successful, with many senators dying, including the Supreme Chancellor, but the Force Hunters made quick work of the changelings, sweeping through the rotunda and saving many lives.
>Their sudden appearance and mass-deployment appears to have been planned in advance, but no corroboration between the Sith and the Force Hunters is believed to exist, but rather they were simply waiting for the right moment.
>Pieces of the puzzle fall into place as it is revealed that their leader has revealed herself.
>Senator Starlight Glimmer has stepped forth as the one behind the Force Hunters, officially dubbing herself and her bio-engineered soldiers as Equalizers.
>She saved many senators in the rotunda, who quickly rallied to support her and her chief advisor, Executive Harshwhinny, as their platform became public.
>Before an emergency mass calling for the senate, Starlight Glimmer gave a long, impassioned speech about the dangers of the Force.
>Gummy brought back a holorecording and played it for the assembly.
>In her speech, she called for an end to the Jedi and the Sith, citing the history of the Sith continually rising up against the Republic and clashing with the Jedi.
>How can a responsible people allow someone or a group of people with the power to dominate the minds of others and enslave entire worlds be allowed to protect others?
>How can they be trusted, when they take children from the arms of their parents and indoctrinate them into a cult, regardless of how passive and peaceful they seem?
>The Jedi, and the Sith, are two sides of the same coin, she says, and in order for the galaxy to be safe the coin must be melted down.
>She blamed the recent attack solely upon the Jedi, decrying them for not detecting it with all of their foresight, and for making a cease-fire pact with the Sith that did not achieve anything.
>She also brought up the attack on the conference so long ago, describing it as the prelude to the recent invasion, and that the Jedi, as supposed guardians of the Republic, had failed in properly preparing for it.
>She, however, did not.
>In creating her army and demonstrating its effectiveness (while also downplaying the loss of so many in the Jedi Temple) she rallied people to support her cause.
>The senators she saved now back her fully, in addition to new senators being appointed to fill the places of the old.
>Through this speech and further propaganda material, fear of the Force has begun to spread to Coruscant, and as Coruscant is the heart of the Republic, so too will it spread to the galaxy.
>Starlight calls for an end to the Force---to the Jedi, to the Sith, to all of those who threaten the common folk through ignorance or malevolence.
>Her vision, which she will see fulfilled by her new army, is for everyone to be truly equal, where no one has the power to murder with their mind or alter the minds of others through will alone.
>And her speech is met with thunderous applause.
>Uncertainty runs through the Jedi around you as the discussion is had about what to do with these new events.
>Simply removing her from power is out of the question---it would make of her a martyr.
>Her support is growing by the day, her influence strengthening and reinforcing her position.
>There are whispers of a ‘Supreme Chancellor Glimmer’ in the future, and the more it is whispered about, the more it seems as though it may happen.
>The choice is made, then, to hide.
>To not give her an enemy to fight, but this does not mean that the Jedi will remain passive.
>Master Luna makes a speech of her own, speaking on the need to rebuild the Jedi Order in secret, away from the eyes of the Republic, away from the Sith.
>Let the Sith remain the public enemy of the Republic; it will make it easier for the Jedi to remain hidden.
>The final matter that is decided is who shall lead the Jedi, and the remaining masters vote unanimously: Grand Master Luna is initiated quickly, and without much ceremony.
>She swears to all present to defend the Jedi, and rebuild them with the qualities that are needed for them to survive in this dark and uncertain time.
>Luna believes that, in time, the people will see through Starlight’s lies, and when that day comes, the Jedi will be ready to save the Republic once more.
>Until then, they shall remain hidden; if not on Yavin 4, then elsewhere.
>The Jedi will not forsake the Republic, even if the Republic has forsaken them: they will continue to fight for peace and protect the innocent, wherever they can.
>She concludes the assembly as you approach her.
“Grand Master,” you say, giving her a smile at her new title.
>”Please, Anon. Just ‘master’ will do.”
>You nod and look back at Sunset, seeing her with Twilight as they talk about something.
“I know that you just spoke on rebuilding the order, and that you will need as much help as you can get, but---“
>She holds up a hand. “I know. You must leave.”
>You give her a strange look, and she returns it with a calm smile.
>”I am a seer, Anon. I know your destiny lies elsewhere. Mestare.”
“Yes,” you nod. “I made the choice to take a life. That’s going to be with me for the rest of my life, but I think that’s what the spirits of that world wanted. They wanted me to be ‘unbalanced’ so that they can show me the way.” You look up into her eyes. “So I can show others the way, as well.”
>”I have no doubt that you will succeed,” she says as she squeezes your shoulder. “I know our time together has been short, and now responsibilities to the Jedi keep me with them, but I will always look fondly upon my memories of you, my Padawan.”
“Thank you, master. Thank you for everything… The dreams, the guidance you gave to me, the wisdom. For never giving up on me.”
>”I would never have,” she smiles.
>You hug her then, and it is a wonderful thing.
>When you part from her, another thought occurs.
“Another thing, master… I don’t know how long Sunset and I will be there. But if in your journeys, as you rebuild the order, if you find a student who cannot reach the light, who teeters on the edge of redemption and damnation… send them to me. You are the only person I will trust with the coordinates to Mestare.”
>”I understand. Were it another time, another life, when I did not have to remain to lead the Jedi, I would have gone with you. I have always longed to learn the secrets of the ancients, the path of balance… But perhaps, one day, you can teach me.”
“Perhaps one day.”
>She then takes out your lightsaber, the Arbitrator.
>”This is yours. I can carry it no longer.”
>You look at it in her hand and bring up yours, hovering over the hilt before you close your fingers around it.
“No… I think you can. I think it’s me who doesn’t deserve to carry it.”
>”Anon, you made this. It is yours more than it will ever be mine.”
“I know, but… It feels right. I am not going to be your Padawan anymore. You used it while you were searching for me.”
>”To return it,” she says. “I took it from Celestia’s grasp. That was the last I ever saw of her… I was never given the chance to reconcile with her before she was taken. I cannot simply take this from you.”
“I am giving it,” you tell her, firmly holding her hands onto the hilt. “I’ve seen some things of my own, you know. And what I have seen doesn’t include me keeping this.”
>After a moment, she nods and accepts it, hooking it onto her belt.
>”When will you be leaving?”
“Soon, I imagine. I want to say goodbye to everyone, of course. I suppose I’ll start with you.”
>You take hold of her hand to shake, but she instead pulls you in for another hug.
>”Goodbye, my Padawan.”
“Goodbye, Master Luna. May the Force be with you.”
>”I know it will always be with you.”
>After a tearful parting, you return to Sunset’s side and make ready your preparations to leave.
>But not before holding true to your word, and saying goodbye to everyone else.
>It is a difficult thing, saying goodbye only after just returning to them.
>Everyone has something different to say, something unique to share.
>You spend time with each and every person you can, talking with them and reaffirming your friendships.
>Some are sadder than others, with lots of hugging and somber words.
>But after all of them, one of them remains and is the most difficult.
>You approach Fluttershy as she stands near the forest, singing softly to the birds.
>Not wanting to interrupt her, you wait until she finishes.
>She’s the one who turns around to look at you.
>”You’re leaving,” she says simply, not in the form of a question.
>Her voice is a bit sad, but she is composed and calm.
“Yes… Sunset and I.”
>She nods. “I thought you would.”
As she turns back to the woods, you approach her and say, “Fluttershy, I’m sorry.”
>”No, don’t be,” she replies, now facing you again. “You have to do what you feel is right. It’s what you did before, even though it hurt. If it’s what you have to do now, I understand.” She is quiet for a moment before adding, “Even if it still hurts.”
“I know,” you whisper, sighing as you flex the fingers of your new hand. “I only just arrived and I’m already leaving. Back to the Jedi, then gone again.”
>”But in a way you never really returned,” she says. “…You had always planned to go, I mean. To Mestare.”
“Yes.” You look back at the temple. “It’s strange… Back when we were both in the academy, I never thought we’d end up like this. None of us could.”
>”I had lots of thoughts,” Fluttershy admits. “But they all involved you staying here, with us.”
“You mean with you.”
>She nods, blushing and looking away.
>You gently take her hand and wait for her to look back.
“I know that I’m saying goodbye… but like before, that doesn’t mean forever. Besides, I’m not good enough for someone like you to care about.”
>”Don’t say that,” she implores. “Anon, you’re---“
“What I mean is that your destiny is with the Jedi. Mine isn’t. It’s elsewhere. If I was ever to become a Jedi, I would want to be here, with you. But… I won’t.”
>She sadly nods. “I understand what you’re saying. I just wish things had gone differently.”
“We’re all the sum of our choices,” you tell her. “I chose the path I’m now walking down. The only reason I'm here is because someone else is not."
>Your thoughts then go back to Noteworthy, who is now part of the Force.
>Fluttershy senses this and holds you a bit more tightly.
>"You did what you thought was right..." she says softly.
"I know. If I could, I’d take you with me, but…”
>She smiles and lets out a small laugh. “I don’t think I’d make a very good… Whatever it is you’re going to end up being called.”
“No, maybe not. We’re a bit too different. You're a better person than I am.”
>You two stand in silence for a few moments before moving apart and heading back to the temple.
>There, you part with Fluttershy, who speaks only a few words.
>She hands you the half of her necklace that you left behind, and you take it before kissing her forehead.
>”There’s something else,” she says. “You don’t have a lightsaber anymore…”
“I think I might build a new one.”
>”I’d rather you use this,” she says, holding up her own. “I-if that’s okay with you…”
“Shy, I can’t just take this, this is yours,” you say, ironically mimicking Master Luna’s earlier words.
>Fluttershy, however, knows this.
>”Yes, you can. Because I’m giving it to you.”
“What about you? What will you use?”
>”I think I would like to use Master Roseluck’s, to honor her memory.”
>You look down at the ornate handle of the lightsaber.
>It is silver, gold and smooth, with detailed articulations of flowing lines resembling wind or water on its surface.
>You reach up and take it, feeling how gentle and wonderful it is, just like its creator.
>You take the lightsaber and hug her again, and it is a long and warm embrace.
>Later that night, you and Sunset depart the temple, making a quiet exit.
>You know that Pinkie would want to throw a big party to leave, and you and her aren’t quite fans of having to say goodbye to everyone a second time.
>The two of you return to your ship and quickly take off, flying into the night sky and then the void of space beyond it.
>You input the coordinates to Mestare and prepare for the jump to hyperspace, but hesitate over the button.
>Sunset, sitting in the copilot seat, looks at you in confusion.
>You don't say anything as you lower your hand, feeling a new compulsion begin to take over.
>It compels you to turn the ship around and point it back at Yavin 4.
>"Do you want to go back?" she asks, unsure of your intent. "Did you forget something? Or wanted to say more?"
>Your fingers relax from the controls and you sit back, taking a deep breath.
"Well, we left at night, so I didn't get much of a chance for one last look at the temple," you say. "I guess I just wanted at least one last look at the planet."
>Her eyes follow yours out to the beautiful green ball hanging in the void, dwarfed by the massive gas giant around which it orbits, contrasting it with a strong red color.
>Sunset reaches over and gently touches your arm.
>"We'll see it again, I'm sure."
"But with everything that's happening, the Jedi may leave this temple, this planet. We might not ever have cause to return, and I just wanted to see it one last time. I know my story started on Kessel, but this is where it really began---it's where I met everyone. It's where I met you."
>She smiles warmly and squeezes your shoulder again before pulling you into a hug and then a kiss.
>"I love you," she whispers in your ear. "And you shouldn't worry so much. We'll see our friends again."
"I know," you reply, kissing her neck while holding her tightly. "I still feel like I haven't made things right for them, after what I did. One day, maybe I can, but until then..."
>She puts her hand on the back of your head and gently digs her fingers into your back while saying, "The others will forgive what you have done in time, Anon. But first you need to forgive yourself. Trust me on that."
>With a smile, you nod and say, "I love you too."
>After parting, you turn the ship back onto the proper course and activate the hyperdrive.
>Sunset continues to hold your hand, though it doesn't stay that tame for long.
>After all, it's a bit of a journey to Mestare.
>Why not enjoy it?
>When the ship reaches the Mestare system, you already can sense something is different.
>The Force reaches out to you through ripples that originate from the planet; both you and Sunset can feel it.
>You pull yourself away from her and back to the controls, piloting the ship towards the surface.
>The Force is your guide, moving your hands to its current so that you land where you are needed, atop a great plain with views of many lands surrounding it.
>After engaging the landing gear and touching down, you don your robes and meet with Sunset who is waiting near the exit ramp.
>With your hand in hers, you hit the button to lower the ramp.
>You descend and when you look upon the landscape, your breath is stolen by what you see.
>Sunset cups her mouth to stifle a gasp, but the effect is the same.
>No longer is Mestare barren and bereft of man-made structures, for in the distance you see temples.
>Hidden in the Force but now revealed to your worthy eyes, they are a collection of magnificent and ancient works, each more awe-inspiring than the last.
>A great platform rests upon a sea, stretching out over the waves with a temple of smooth surfaces and white marble upon its center.
>A tower, grand and awesome in scale, rises from a forest, spiraling upwards until it nearly touches the clouds.
>A coliseum is built within a valley, large enough to contain ten thousand or more souls, surrounded by pillars covered in lost languages.
>Atop a mountain is a temple grander than any other, dominating its peak not unlike the Jedi Temple of Coruscant once did, with a staircase wide enough for several vehicles to fit upon it side-by-side.
>But the most breathtaking of all is the sight of what floats in the sky, suspended by energy you cannot know: an octahedron, a stone temple with intricate glowing patterns on all eight sides.
>It hangs amongst the clouds, slowly rotating, and from your vantage point it is held between the two moons of the planet, one white and one red.
>This triumvirate draws both of your eyes and for a moment you stare in wonder, captivated by the incredible sight before you.
>The Force has never felt stronger upon this planet than it does now, for all of these ruins now await you, their secrets ready to be learned.
>Both of you are stunned into speechlessness by the monumental beauty of it all.
>Slowly, wordlessly, you squeeze Sunset's hand a bit more tightly and you begin to walk towards the nearest temple.
>As you do, you feel an assortment of emotions, chief among them excitement and curiosity.
>But there is also an understanding that this is the beginning of a new life for you, a new path that you have finally earned the right to walk upon.
>It was not without pain and sacrifice, but nor is it one that you will face alone.
>Together, you shall stride upon it with high spirits.
>Together, you shall learn balance.
>Together.

There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.
There is no fear; there is power.
I am the heart of the Force.
I am the revealing fire of light.
I am the mystery of darkness
In balance with chaos and harmony,
Immortal in the Force.

THE END