The Clone Wars: One-shots

Lost (P1)

Timeline: Somewhere around TCW Season 2-3 (Ahsoka is 14-15 years old)

She was sitting on a thick branch of a lofty tree swaying in the wind. Watching. The surroundings consisted of towering white buildings shaped like capsules adorned with silver and blue details that blended well with the sky and fluffy clouds. Lively vegetation filled the cityscape, large mountains scaling outside the Alderaan capital.

From her vantage point, Ahsoka gazed at the Royal Palace, the tallest skyscraper in the vicinity. Her master was currently there, assisting in negotiations between Alderaan and the Trade Federation. Ahsoka was surprised that the council selected her master for this mission, given his dislike for the Neimoidians. Ahsoka never knew why he hated them so much; whenever she asked, he kept his mouth shut, and even a non-Jedi could sense the anger radiating off of him. She believed it had something to do with the Invasion of Naboo that occurred before the war but wasn't entirely sure. 

Recently, the Federation had threatened to withdraw their resources from Alderaan if not compensated accordingly, which Ahsoka found outrageous. They couldn't just cut off necessities from a planet. People would suffer. Did the Federation even care as long as it was profitable? But she was a Jedi, not a Republic representative, so there was little she could do about it. She could never wrap her head around politics anyway. Even when Senator Amidala attempted to teach her about the Senate, Ahsoka found it all too exhausting and difficult to understand. 

Luckily, Master Skywalker noticed she was bored and restless during the negotiation meetings with Senator Organa and Dod, allowing her to take a break and explore the capital city so long as she stayed within its limits.

Below where Ahsoka was perched was a broad stone pathway flanked by a variety of small shops and open-air markets. People engaged in friendly chatter. Shoes falling against the rocky trail and whispers of the wind echoed in her ears. The air had the fresh scent of cut grass, and the sunlight filtered through the leaves of trees, creating a playful dance with the shadows. Birds flew across the landscape, chirping beautiful melodies. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, allowing herself to embrace this moment. It was calm—peaceful.

It was not anything like what the war had gotten her used to. The pleasant environment made her feel content, not a feeling she had often had since the start of the fighting. It was as if the war was already over here.

Or as if it never existed at all.

Ahsoka started fantasizing about her and her friends living there as citizens. Strolling down the roads, cracking jokes and enjoying each other's company, the warm sun baking their skin. Exploring the shops, meeting new people. Fighting would be in the past.

She realized what she was doing and pushed her thoughts away from her fanciful daydreams, shooting her eyes open. She shifted her position, letting her feet hang over the edge of the branch. From there, she had a clear view of a little meadow between two stores directly below her. 

Five Alderaanian deer, four adults and one young, were grazing peacefully on the grass beside the pavement. Two had prominently long, curved antlers, while the others only possessed small, almond-shaped ears. The young snuggled next to one of the adults while it plucked at the rich grass. The entire scenery was something that Ahsoka could watch for hours.

But something was wrong.

She lifted her feet, crouched on the branch, and scanned her surroundings, looking for any sign of an anomaly. However, everything was just as it had been. People still sauntered down the path, jovial chatter still ensued, and the deer were still chewing the grass below until she heard a soft hum in the distance.