Brotherhood

Chapter 57 - Compassion

Author's Note: In which Plo makes an appearance, and Anakin does some... reflecting. Also, just as a side note, I do believe in exploring all the sides of relationships, which is something I'm trying to do now with Anakin and Dooku. Apparently, the fact that Dooku taught Anakin to be a Sith doesn't make it obvious enough that Dooku was not, by any means, always nice to Anakin. Their relationship is complicated, and it is far from sunshine and roses. Okay? Okay. 

~ Amina Gila

Ahsoka has no idea if it's merely been hours or days since she was arrested. Droids have brought them meals thrice thus far, which doesn't say a whole lot, because she doesn't know what the feeding schedule is like. It's possible that they're getting meals regularly twice a day, but it's also possible that the meals are being scheduled differently to throw them off guard and keep them confused.

She doubts the Jedi would do that, but who really knows?

It's not as if she's a Jedi anymore. She's a traitor to them, a Dark Sider. She's Fallen. She's joined Anakin. She's his apprentice. Perhaps she doesn't always, or even frequently, use the Dark Side, but she does sometimes.

But, needless to say, Ahsoka is more than a little surprised when Master Plo suddenly shows up. He stops in front of the ray shield of her cell, hands clasped in front of him as he regards her.

"Master Plo," she says in lieu of greeting, feeling shame crawl its way into her stomach, hanging there, sharp and bitter. She still cares about him, but she is well aware of the fact that she is the kind of person that he would hate, the kind of person that he would normally seek to destroy. She is... Fallen. He is a Jedi. Nothing more needs to be said.

"It's good to see you again, little 'Soka," he replies as if she's merely been gone on a mission and just returned to the Temple.

Almost instinctively, she crosses her arms over her chest, giving herself the only form of comfort and solace that she can, but even that isn't enough to take away the biting emptiness of her blocked Force abilities. She can see Plo there, but she can't feel him, so he might as well be another person entirely. If he was, she would never know. She doesn't know what to say to him, so she says nothing, simply waiting for him to make the first move.

After a few moments of simply looking at her, he sighs. "I dislike seeing you here, but you know what you have done. It is for your own safety as well as that of the Jedi."

"I know." She hesitates, looking at him, wishing she could get a sense as to his feelings. "What will you do with me?"

He studies her for another moment of silence. "I think that will depend on you."

From across the hall, Anakin scoffs. Loudly. "Right. As if the Jedi would ever let us go. Don't. Just don't. I won't fall for it. Don't give Ahsoka false hope."

She looks at him and sees the bitterness on his face which he isn't even bothering to hide. Plo turns towards him, though not entirely; he doesn't turn his back on her. "We are not the villains you have been told," he tells Anakin, his voice not wavering, not showing any signs of antagonism. His tone is, instead, level, kind even. "We don't imprison Fallen Jedi indefinitely. The choice is theirs. They chose to Fall, and they can choose to turn back, to find the Light again. If they've... done horrible things, most of them are never willing to make that choice. If the Council can determine that neither of you are dangerous, to yourselves or to others, you will be set free."

Anakin merely stares him, disbelieving. "And if – if they didn't have a choice?" he asks quietly, and Ahsoka feels her heart shatter all over again for him, for the things he's endured. Technically, he did have a choice. He knows that. She knows that. He accepts that. But practically speaking? He didn't. It was either giving in or going through even more suffering. He was a child. His Fall was inevitable. No child would have been strong enough to resist.