Metanoia | The Mandalorian ON HOLD

Chapter 51

Juno sat on the side, watching as the Mandalorians took off their jetpacks and set them to the side before they faced each other again. Even though she knew Din was a strong warrior, she was nervous. Din pulled out the Darksaber and activated it and Paz took out a blade and activated a shield on his arm. They moved forward slowly before they began the fight. Juno clutched her pendants anxiously when Din was thrown on a lower platform and Paz took the Darksaber.

"Fate has brought this blade back to my clan, and now fate will end yours." Grunted Paz as he struggled to lift the blade.

"No!" Screamed Juno as she lunged forward for Din, but the Armorer held her back. Paz swung the blade but Din rolled out of the way and stabbed Paz to the side. He continued to swing the blade, trying to get the upper hand and end Din's life and each time, Din avoided the blows. They fought a little longer,before Din managed to move around Paz and hold the knife to his neck.

"It is done." Announced the Armorer, putting an end to the fight. Juno felt she could finally breathe as she watched the heavily breathing men. "Paz Vizsla, have you ever removed your helmet?" She asked and Juno's stomach dropped. She looked over at Din with furrowed eyebrows, trying to silently remind him that she was with him no matter what happened.

"No." Answered Paz.

"Has it ever been removed by others?"

"Never."

"This is the way." She told him.

"This is the way." He replied.

"Din Djarin, have you ever removed your helmet?" She asked. She repeated the question when he didn't answer. He still didn't reply. "By Creed, you must vow." Din let go of Paz, pushed him to the ground and put his knife away. He then looked at Juno, knowing they would always be a family. She quickly moved to his side and eyed the Armorer.

"I have." He answered at last.

"Then, you are a Mandalorian no more." She replied and Juno glared at her, putting her hand on Din's upper arm.

"I beg for your forgiveness. How can I atone?" Asked Din.

"Leave, apostate." Said Paz. Juno turned her glare at him.

"You keep your mouth shut." She growled. Din squeezed her shoulder and softly shook his head, silently telling her it was not worth her anger, before he turned back to the Armorer.

"According to Creed, one may only be redeemed in the living waters beneath the mines of Mandalore." She told him.

"But the mines have all been destroyed." He said and she nodded.

"This is the way." She said. Din breathed heavily as he stared at her for a moment before he took the Darksaber from the ground. He then walked up to take his jetpack and, with his head hanging low in shame, he walked around the Armorer, making his way to the little room he and Juno were supposed to stay in.

Juno glared at Paz and the Armorer and shook her head in disbelief as her heart broke for her father. "This is unfair." And before either one could say anything to her, she was running away to Din. By the time she got to the room, Din had packed the few things that they had.

"Dad?" She said cautiously. She could feel the shame and pain that he felt when he couldn't even look at her. "Dad, listen to me." She continued. "It doesn't matter who that woman is or what she says. You are, and always will be, a Mandalorian, with or without that helmet. You took it off to say goodbye to Grogu and me. To your children. You took it off to hold me when I came back to you. And there's nothing wrong with that, because you love us and you took care of us for so long." Her voice broke when he still wouldn't look at her. "So don't you ever think that you are a Mandalorian. Because you are."

Din exhaled and slowly took off his helmet. He then stood up and turned to look her in the eye. What he had done to deserve a daughter like Juno, he didn't know, but it must have been something really good. He opened his arms for her and she hugged him tightly.

"Thank you." He whispered and kissed her head. She just nodded before letting go.

"Let's get out of here. I can't stand it here anymore." She said as she took the bag with their belongings while Din put on the helmet.

~

An alarm started beeping as Din and Juno walked towards the ship. They looked around in confusion before a droid started speaking.

"Excuse me, sir. You're going to have to remove your weapons."

"I'm a Mandalorian. Weapons are part of my religion." Replied Din and Juno smiled softly at him, happy that her words were not useless.

"I'm sorry, sir, you can't board a commercial flight with your weapons." The droid replied and Din sighed. "If you wish to discuss this with my supervisor, I will gladly book you on tomorrow's flight." Din took the ticket.

"Fine." He sighed and opened the box before starting to put his weapons inside. Juno, having only one blaster on her that she put inside right away, was having a hard time not laughing at Din. It was just so comical watching him grumpily pack away all the weapons he carried while some passersby's were eyeing them curiously. "I know everything that's in there." He threatened the droid.

"Proceed." Said the droid. Juno giggled as they walked up the ramp.

"What?" He grumbled, looking down at her.

"I know everything that's in there." She copied his raspy voice, teasing him as she laughed again. He just shook his head at her as he looked for their seats.

"You're insufferable." He mumbled, took off his jetpack and sat down next to the window. She chuckled as she sat next to him.

"You would be bored without me." She told him, laid her head down on his shoulder and looked outside the window.

"Yeah." He sighed and placed his arm around her shoulders.

They were moving slowly through the space and Juno's eyes were slowly closing when she noticed a green child turned towards them.he watched her and waved at her. She smiled sleepily and waved back before she closed her eyes while the child's mother pulled him down to his seat. Din smiled under his helmet at the interaction and took the small package from his pocket, squeezing it gently before he put it back.