Back in the dark Krykna nest, Ezra was struggling to find a way out from the Kryknas, but he soon found himself cornered!
Ezra: (Gasps)
But just as Ezra thought he was a goner, he heard a familiar voice from above him!
Kanan: Ezra, jump!
Looking up, Ezra saw that Kanan was reaching for a hand to help him up and rescue him from danger, again! Thinking quickly, Ezra grabs Kanan's hand as his Master pulls him away from the Kryknas and up to a higher tunnel!
Ezra: (Grunts)
As soon as Ezra and Kanan both had a chance to catch their breath, Ezra asked what was his Master doing in here!
Kanan: (Sighs) (Panting) That was close...
Ezra: (Sighs) (Panting) What are you doing in here?
Kanan smirked as he offered a hand to help the kid back up to his feet, getting Ezra back on track!
Kanan: Getting you back on track! Are you okay?
Ezra nodded shakily as Kanan pulled him back onto his feet!
Ezra: Yeah... Yeah, I'm okay!
Suddenly, another one of the Kryknas appeared right behind Ezra! Quickly pushing himself in front of Kanan, Ezra refused to let the Spider hurt his Mentor! But gently, Kanan placed a calming hand on Ezra's shoulder, which allowed his Student to lower his guard a little bit... Reaching out with his hand, Kanan used the Force to calm the Spider down before it left them both alone, much to Ezra's astonishment... Confused, Ezra asked the older Jedi how he did that; he couldn't do that, even with his talent for connection with the Force!
Ezra: How did you do that? I can't even do that...
Kanan explained that ever since Malachor, he had followed Bendu's teachings of seeing things differently through the Force without his Lightsaber!
Kanan: Well, I've been forced to see things differently since Malachor...
As Kanan walked ahead of him, Ezra folded his arms and stayed behind... As he watched his Master avoid the rocks ahead so that he wouldn't trip even though he could see just fine, Ezra looked down at the ground in shame and hugged his arms in sadness for his past mistakes... As Kanan walked deeper into the catacombs, Ezra quietly spoke up...
Ezra: About what happened...
Kanan stopped before turning around to meet Ezra whose eyes were lowered at the ground in shame, as he struggled to get the words of his apology out!
Ezra: I'm sorry for it... For everything, Kanan...
Kanan knew now that from Ezra's breaking point and his videos earlier that he truly did blame himself for what happened, even while he was in a Coma for 6 Months...
Kanan: What's this "alone" business? Don't you remember? Us outcasts have to—
Ezra frowned, knowing that Kanan and the others sticking with him were what got them into this mess in the first place!
Ezra: What?! Stick together?! Because you stuck with me, Eldra lost her Master! You and Ahsoka almost got blinded by Maul and killed by Vader because they both wanted me as an Apprentice like his Inquisitors did, I couldn't kill the Seventh Sister after she and the others hunted us like animals for Six Months, and now Hera, Sabine, Zeb, and Chopper all are in danger of being killed by Maul because he's after me! I was just a pawn in someone else's game! A-and he was never smart enough to realize it! If my friends and family knew about my mission, they'd know that their lives would have never been in danger if it weren't for me! They should hate my guts, and it would have been better if I literally never existed!
Ezra: Dear diary: All I ever wanted was to be good at something, to be around people who also liked that something... And when I found out by my True Family, I thought, 'Wow, I found it! I can learn about the Force... I can be a Jedi! I-I won't have to be the dummy on the streets anymore!' But I messed up too much and put everyone in danger... If it weren't for me, the mess on Malachor would have never happened... There was this cave-in, and I met him... I met him when he was still just an old man, and I taught him about the Sith Temple... I introduced him to the Presence within the Sith Holocron... I set everything in motion! I'm sorry, everyone... And of course, I was convinced we should move to Tarkintown to be closer to that fancy garden that reminded Kaitis so much of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, and well... Kanan and the others all know on how well that ended!
When it comes to the part about Kaitis, Ezra becomes sad and tears up before he looks away briefly...
Ezra: Eldra always said that I have to learn from my mistakes, so... (A single tear falls down his cheek...) I know what I have to do now... On Atollon, after we locate the Sith Holocron from Bendu, I'm telling everyone that I'm facing Maul so that I can save Kanan and the others from being killed, alone! It's for the best...
Reaching for one of his Student's shoulders, Kanan shook his head and kindly smiled, reassuring Ezra that what happened wasn't his fault...
Kanan: It wasn't your fault...
Ezra flinched at his Master's gentle touch as he lowered his blue eyes in shame, believing if hadn't listened to Maul and had just left when Kanan told them to, none of his family or friends would be in this mess right now... Sensing that Ezra didn't believe him, Kanan reassured his Student that he had never blamed him for what happened Six Months ago, nobody did... And he knows for a good fact that Quinlan didn't blame him either if he was here right now!
Ezra: I never blamed you, Ezra...
Ezra's eyes flicked from the ground to where they were, he wanted to believe that... More than anything, he wanted to believe that his Master didn't hate him for what happened! Kanan then explained how much goodness Ezra has done since being in his life for the last Three Years!
Kanan: And do you think throwing your life away is gonna help me? Or help your Adoptive Siblings? Or even Hera and the rest of our friends or Phoenix Squadron! Well, it won't... (Laughs Bittersweetly) You helped me save those Wookies from Agent Kallus's death sentence when you barely knew me... You saved me from turning into an Inquisitor from the Empire, and... You even got me talking to your Adoptive Brother again! So... Unfortunately for you... My life is pretty great because I'm friends with the Youngest Son of Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala! It's time for you to forgive yourself...
Looking up from the ground and into Kanan's green eyes, Ezra saw that there was no hatred that he had feared for the last few days... And for the first time in 6 Months, Ezra smiled and said something that he hadn't said in a long time...
Ezra: Yes, Master...
Kanan smiled before Ezra startled him a little bit by hugging him... Although he was shocked, Kanan gently patted the kid's shoulders before they continued on to look for the Sith Holocron... Outside the cave, the Bendu, Eldra, and Kaitis all sensed their reconciliation and smiled... Kaitis placed a comforting hand on Eldra's shoulder, knowing that Ezra was starting to forgive himself now...
YOU ARE READING
The Skywalkers Triplets Book 2
Science FictionWhen Ezra realizes who his true family is, Kanan knows that he'll never know or learn if he can trust his own student until he's actually tried it...! Or, an au story of where Ezra's real family is the Skywalkers...
