The Land Which Bears Your Footprints

Chapter 2 - With Blood On It's Wings

Author's Note: More bonding with Ben and Rey. :)

~ Amina Gila

"They have training settings?" Rey echoes dubiously, studying the lightsaber she was given. The crystal practically sings in the Force, radiating a strange sense of peacefulness so unlike how her own crystals always felt. They felt like they were crying.

"You have no past experience with them," Ben points out bluntly. So he thinks. "It's safest."

Is it? Sidious never did that with her. As soon as she was old enough to use one, she fought against training droids, who also didn't use blades with training settings. They were programmed not to inflict any permanent injuries, but she was minorly injured many times at first.

"It will give you power," Sidious had told her, "Pain and fear lead to anger which leads to hate which leads to power."

She understood it, somewhat, even if she never liked it. Apparently, Jedi are... more different than she imagined. With how Sidious talked about them, she thought they'd be worse somehow. But they simply pretend to be good, so she needs to keep that in mind.

(It keeps feeling harder, though. And why does everything about the Jedi way feel so familiar, like something she once knew and respected?)

The blue of the lightsaber is oddly familiar, and she kind of likes it. Maybe it's just that it's different, though, because she doesn't want a Jedi color.

Ben moves first, their blades clashing.

Rey has no idea how she's supposed to play ignorant on this, when she's trained ceaselessly in being the best that she can be in lightsaber combat. She's trying to fight a little sloppily, which would probably work better if Ben wasn't so skilled, so she keeps automatically countering him probably more easily than she ought to be able to.

He sends her blade flying when she's making a particularly sloppy swing. This... is not working.

"You were doing pretty well," Ben replies, a hint of surprise in his voice. What? She... genuinely expected criticism for failing like that. Then again, she's not supposed to know anything. "You sure you've never used a lightsaber before?"

Her heart skips a beat, even as she frantically reminds herself that that probably wasn't a serious question. "I fought a lot with... swords and weapons like that before," she offers.

"You must've been skilled with it," he muses, "Why don't we go again?"

Rey makes the first move this time, jumping at him. Even if she's still holding back so it's not obvious how good she is at it, hopefully, it's... fun. A lot more fun than just fighting droids. Maybe, before long, she can try showing off what she actually knows.

***

It's been a couple weeks since Rey first came here, and Ben's spent much of that time training her. They haven't known each other long, and Rey never says much about herself, but he can't deny feeling a closeness with her that he doesn't really understand. There's a certain protectiveness there that he's never felt towards anyone before. Never had a reason to.

He's never taught anyone before.

(Except – except in his dreams, and why does Rey's Force presence shine with a familiar feel so much like that... like that boy's, even if not as strong?)

Rey is waiting by his ship for him when he arrives for their excursion to Ilum. She's staring off into the trees, a far-off but peaceful look on her face.