The Mandalorian's Bounties | Din Djarin

Chapter 13 | The Jedi (Part 2)

Din paces back and forth in front of the rock Cordelia sits on as they watch Ahsoka and the Child sitting together. He grabs Cordelia's hand and pulls her to stand next to him as Ahsoka leans over and grabs the Child.

Ahsoka takes the lamp and starts walking, the pair quickly moving to meet her. She sets the light down and looks at the Child, then the two in front of her. She sets the Child down on the rock next to her then sits. They look at each other and the Child begins grunting softly.

"Is he speaking? Do you understand him?" Din asks. Cordelia tightens her grip on his hand as Ahsoka looks at them.

"In a way. Grogu and I can feel each other's thoughts." She answers. 

"Grogu?" He asks. The Child coos excitedly and looks up at him.

"Yes. That's his name." Ahsoka says. Cordelia kneels in front of him and smiles.

"Hello, Grogu." She says, her eyes filling with tears. He coos, reaching for her face. She laughs, shaking her head. "Happy tears, buddy. I promise." She says. He coos again, reaching up to wipe away the tear that had escaped. 

Cordelia rubs his ear before standing and moving to Din's side, wrapping her arms around him. He returns her embrace, still looking at the Child.

"Grogu." Din repeats. Grogu coos excitedly again, looking up at him.

"He was raised at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Many Masters trained him over the years. At the end of the Clone Wars when the Empire rose to power, he was hidden." Ahsoka explains to them. Din sits, pulling Cordelia with him to sit on his lap. "Someone took him from the Temple. Then his memory becomes...dark. He seemed lost. Alone." She says. Cordelia looks at Grogu, heartbroken for what he experienced before she found him. "I've only known one other being like this. A wise Jedi Master named Yoda." Grogu coos softly at her. "Can he still wield the Force?"

"You mean his powers?" He asks. Ahsoka nods slowly.

"The Force is what gives him his powers. It is an energy field created by all living things. To wield it takes a great deal of training and discipline." She explains.

"We've seen him do things I can't explain." He says. He turns his gaze from Grogu to Ahsoka. "Our task was to bring him to a Jedi."

"The Jedi Order fell a long time ago." She says.

"Well so did the Empire, but they're still hunting him." Cordelia says, slightly angry. Din takes her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"He needs your help." He adds. Ahsoka looks at them, then Grogu before sighing. 

"Let him sleep. I'll test him in the morning." 

***

The next morning, Ahsoka leads them through the forest to the spot where she'll test Grogu. Cordelia carries him in her arms, holding him close to calm her anxiety about the tests. Grogu coos as they come to a stop.

"Let's see what knowledge is lurking inside that little mind." Ahsoka says, tapping Grogu's nose. He coos, and Ahsoka gestures to the rock. Cordelia and Din kneel in front of it and she sets Grogu on top of it. She takes his little hands in hers and he coos.

"You try your best, okay? We're proud of you no matter what." She tells him. He coos softly and Din nods, patting his back. He stands, pulling Cordelia with him as they move off to the side.

Ahsoka holds a rock in the palm of her hand and Grogu tilts his head to the side. She twists her wrist and the rock floats from her palm to his outstretched hands. He coos when he grabs the rock from the air. Ahsoka nods, holding her palm out again.

"Now, return the stone to me, Grogu." She says. He looks at the rock in his hand to Ahsoka in front of him.

"He doesn't understand." Din says.

"He does." She replies. Grogu looks at the stone again and whines. "It's okay." She tells him. He looks back up at her. "The stone, Grogu." Din nods, gesturing towards her with his helmet. Grogu looks down at the stone before dropping it. 

Din sighs and Ahsoka drops her hand, walking to him. She crouches down and grabs the stone off the ground. Grogu keeps his head tilted down, avoiding her gaze. She takes his hand and sighs.

"I sense much fear in you." Ahsoka says. Grogu looks up at her before she stands and starts walking back. "He's hidden his abilities to survive over the years." She explains. "Let's try something else. Come over here." Din tilts his helmet in a gesture for Grogu to move.

"He's stubborn." He says when Grogu tilts his head down and stays still.

"Not him. You. I want to see if he'll listen to you." She corrects. Din moves to stand next to her, pulling Cordelia with him.

"That would be a first." He says. Cordelia glares at him, pinching his side.

"I like firsts. Good or bad, they're always memorable." Ahsoka says, holding the rock out to him. "Now, hold the stone out in the palm of your hand. Tell him to lift it up." Din does as she says, holding the rock in his palm.

"All right, kid. Lift the stone." Din says. Grogu stares at him, tilting his head. Cordelia pinches his side again. He looks at her and she raises an eyebrow. Ahsoka moves off to the side. "Grogu." He corrects, making him perk up. "Come on, take the stone." He encourages. Grogu looks down. "You see? I told you, he's stubborn." He says, throwing the rock to the ground.

"Try to connect with him." Ahsoka says. Din turns back to face Grogu and takes a deep breath. He and Grogu stare at each other for a long moment before he reaches into his pocket and grabs the ball. Cordelia grins, having been waiting for him to use it.

"Grogu." Din says, holding up the ball. Grogu grunts, holding his hand up. Din crouches so he's closer to his level. "Do you want this?" He asks. Grogu tilts his head, keeping his arm outstretched. "Well, go ahead. That's right, take it. Come on. You can have it. Come on." He encourages. The ball flies from Din's hand to Grogu's. "Good job! Good job, kid. You see that? That's right. We knew you could do it." He says as he and Cordelia move to crouch in front of him.

"Good job, Grogu." Cordelia says, smiling at him.

"He's formed strong attachments to you." Ahsoka says. The two glance at her before turning their attention back to Grogu. "I cannot train him."

"What? Why not?" Din asks, standing and moving towards her. Cordelia stays with Grogu, selfishly happy that he won't be leaving them if Ahsoka doesn't train him. "You've seen what he can do." 

"His attachment to the both of you makes him vulnerable to his fears. His anger." She says.

"All the more reason to train him." He argues.

"No." She says, moving closer. "I've seen what such feelings can do to a fully trained Jedi Knight. To the best of us." She says. She looks at Grogu. "I will not start this child down that path. Better to let his abilities fade." She starts walking away. "I've delayed too long. I must get back to the village." Grogu whines as she starts walking away and Cordelia scoops him into her arms.

"The Magistrate sent us to kill you." Din says, making Ahsoka stop. She turns as he steps closer. "We didn't agree to anything. And we'll help you with your problem, if you see to it that Grogu is properly trained." Ahsoka turns her attention to him in Cordelia's arms as he babbles, playing with one of her braids.

Cordelia's emotions war with each other. Part of her knows that Grogu has to train, and he'll have to leave them. The other part hopes that he can stay with them forever. Deep down, she knows which side will win.