Star Wars Rebels: The Academy (UNDER MAJOR EDITING)

Chapter 8

(Ezra pov)

"You were really brave, taking a bullet for me," Crystal says, taking in the seat in the chair that Kanan had just been in. "It scared me, when you got hit."
Her long blonde hair falls over her shoulder as she leans forward. "Are you alright? It looks like it would hurt."
"I'm okay." I sit up. "Kanan says that it will only hurt for a couple of days. But bacta can help with the pain, so-yeah."
"Thank you," she says. I'm confused. "For what?"
"For saving me from that creepy guy-what was his name?"
"The Inquisitor."
"Right. He was so evil, I felt it. Ezra, you saved my life." She leans even closer.
"Well, we couldn't let him get ahold of you. You wouldn't be able to fight him, he would have either killed you or turned you to the Dark Side," I tell her.
"The Dark Side?" Crystal asks.
"The evil. The light is good, dark is bad. Evil Force-users, like the Inquisitor, use it for bad things. Good Force-users use the light side to help other people.
The Jedi are light-side users-well, at least, they were. Kanan is about the last real one left."
"Then there's you," she says. "What about you, R-Ezra. Are you a Jedi?"
"Not yet. I'm Kanan's apprentice. But someday, maybe I will be. Someday. When the Empire is dead and the Republic restored." I didn't even know that I felt like this. Wanting to become a true Jedi? I realize now, that that's what I want to be. Not just a rebel or a really good con artist, a Jedi. Like Kanan.
"Well, the Empire can't last forever. Someday, they have to fall. Maybe you and I will be a part of that fall. It just needs a push to fall."
"You sound like someone old and wise," I tell her. "You sure that you aren't a Jedi who went into hiding?"
She shook her head. "If I was, I wouldn't have been at the Imperial Academy, would I?"
"No, I guess not. But why were you there? If you don't really like the Empire, why were you training to join them?" I ask her.
"I wanted some intell-and some weapons-to sell. There's a fairly good black market here, you know. I figured that I could make some cash to help give the Empire a push."
Something about that sentence sets off alarm bells in my head, but I ignore them. I lean closer to Crystal. By now, our foreheads nearly touch.
"So, are you going to join our crew?" I inquire. "We could use more people."
"I think so. I have good aim with a blaster, as well. I just need to buy one."
"We'll take care of that. I guess you're a rebel now."
"Yeah, I guess I am."
"Crystal, I-"
I don't get a chance to finish my sentence, before Crystal's lips are on mine, and she puts her arms around my neck. I wrap mine around her waist. My first kiss! Then I feel t. The surge of energy that Kanan felt earlier. I hear his heavy footsteps head towards us.
I pull away. "Kanan!" I whisper. Crystal nods and darts out of the room quick as a flash. Kanan comes in a moment later. He crosses his arms and waits for an explanation.
"Hi," I say lamely.
"What did you two just do?" He asks outright.
"What... What do you mean?" I try to play innocent.
"The surge of energy. I felt it again. What happened?"
"Um...." I trail off, not having a reasonable explanation.
"Ezra, WHAT HAPPENED?" Kanan asks sternly.
I sigh. "I... I kissed her."
Kanan looks like he's going to pass out.
"What?"
"You heard me. I kissed Crystal."
Kanan slaps his forehead. "You kissed the the person that we just rescued from Imperial Academy. Great. Just great!"
"What's wrong with it? I... I... She means a lot to me, okay? I never... I never thought...."
Hera comes flying in. "Guys! Now is not the time! We have Imperial troops outside!"