Stronger Together (Kylo Ren x Reader | Maia)

A Jedi Ending

Maia

It felt as if I'd woken from the best sleep of my life—as if all previous injuries and abuse to my body had never occurred. I felt so good. I walked forward, focusing on the intricate machinery with tubes and cords mixing like a spider's web.

"My girl," a voice rang out from the clutter—the same voice I'd already heard. A concerned man. "I didn't think you would make it. I'm afraid I've distracted your friends, but I assure you, I just wish to speak privately with you."

I turned to look at my 'friends,' only to see Kylo staring at me as if he was frozen in place. He was too far away to judge his expression, but it was odd, as if he were a paused holo. My gaze went behind him, where Luke was frozen with the same odd appearance.

"What did you do to them?" I asked, my voice dark but low.

"Nothing, they're fine. They simply cannot see or hear you."

"They look like they're looking at me."

"A version of you, perhaps."

I finally turned back to him—surprised I had even turned my back on him in the first place.

Because it wasn't real, I reminded myself. I thought the frozen men behind me were real, however, because somehow, I was aware they were not supposed to be there. Whatever this was, as the voice had said, it was for me.

Another fucking man underestimating me.

"You are Palpatine."

"Good," the voice came out. "I want to offer you something."

"No, thanks." Something was off about myself, as if my emotions were muted. But they were still there, and I wanted nothing from this... thing.

He laughed, and I took another step closer. I just needed a glimpse...

"That is quite alright, you can just listen. You once defended the Jedi, saying one was the bad apple." How did he know that? I briefly shot my eyes to the left, then the right. This couldn't be my mind conjuring up things. The place I stood was unfamiliar. "But you were wrong. That bad apple was the only good to the entire Jedi Order, my dear. And I loved him like a son; I wanted to give him the galaxy when my time came."

My heart was pounding hard now. He sounded so... concerned. "But alas, we were not destined to take the galaxy. But you... you, my girl. You are."

"I don't want it." An easy decision.

"Really?" I stepped closer, but it was as if I were not getting any nearer. It was frustrating—I wanted to see him. I needed a face to the voice.

At the thought, a man appeared. A middle-aged man in elegant, Naboo cloth robes. He walked between the machines, stopping just at the edge of the cluster. I found it amusing that he chose to come to me as himself prior to his Sith scarring, like he could persuade me with his kind voice and grandpa-esque face.

"I thought you of all people would appreciate the value—the good you could do with that much power."

I felt my lips turn down in a deeper frown, but my body felt so heavy. "Peace doesn't require power," I muttered. I wanted to rage—why was I not angry? Was he fucking with my emotions, or was it this creepy place?

"Well, that is certainly an unfounded conjecture. Anything you want to achieve requires power. And I'm offering it all to you."

"No, thank you." I knew I was not truly in this place, now. I could still recall how my rage kept slipping under the dark cloud in Snoke's throne room, but here, I couldn't find it.