Once again Ahsoka was enveloped by the dark, surfacing from her memories, standing on a ring of white surrounded by blackness.
And on that ring was a mirror. Cautious, she approached with hesitant footsteps, treading lightly, keeping quiet in case whatever demon she had to face would be alerted to her presence.
But it already was.
The mirror glowed brightly as she stared into it, curiosity overtaking her. The blinding light showed herself, standing, as she had been tens of years ago: the outfit of Padawan Tano- but was it?
On closer inspection, she realised with a jolt that the reflection of who she once was did not wear the braid of a Jedi Padawan, and a set of binders restricted her movement.
This was Ahsoka Tano, wanted criminal, who had worked with Sith-turned-bounty-hunter Asajj Ventress, who had been expelled from the Jedi Order, who had been betrayed by the one she called a friend, betrayed by-
"Barriss Offee," she hissed under her breath.
Suddenly a great tremor struck through the room, and Ahsoka backed away from the mirror, regaining her balance as green smoke poured out of the glass, and took a form.
"Ahsoka Tano," came the voice she knew so well, a voice that filled her with dark feelings. "It's been a while."
The smoky form of the Mirialan stood before her, wearing the clothes she had worn on that fateful day.
"Why?" asked Ahsoka, her cool facade close to cracking. "Why would you do this to me? To us? To the Jedi? People died because of you."
"It was the right thing to do," she replied simply.
"Bombing the temple? Killing innocents?"
"Ahsoka," protested Barriss, "you didn't understand, before. But now... I had a feeling you would understand making sacrifices for the greater good."
Ahsoka turned away, bitterly. "Sacrifices are necessary, if we want to defeat the Empire. Some lives have to be lost." She looked back at the ghost. "But not lives that aren't yours to take."
There was a heavy silence as the two stared into each other's eyes, dark blue into light, a battle of wills.
Eventually Barriss pulled away. "Perhaps you're right."
Ahsoka blinked in shock. Whatever she had been expecting, it wasn't this. "Barriss?"
"Ahsoka, I came to you for one reason. Forgiveness."
Ahsoka felt the binders on her wrists melt away. "Why?" she asked simply.
"For taking the lives... taking the lives that weren't mine," she replied.
The simmering seed of conflict grew inside of Ahsoka. One the one hand, forgiving Barriss was the thing a Jedi would do. On the other hand... She had taken so many lives, as a Jedi and as an Inquisitor. These lives shouldn't just be thrown away like nothing ever happened. And as the little shadowy voice in her mind reminded her, she was no longer a Jedi.
Barriss stood, almost nervously, as Ahsoka thought, eyes closed.
Eventually they opened, and when they did they were bicoloured, emerald on one and sapphire on the other.
"Barriss Offee," she said, eyes glowing, "I forgive you."
And all at once the regret in Ahsoka Tano's heart dispersed, leaving behind a pure white flame, and she would never be troubled again.
*hey... hey guys, guess what?
If you guessed "she's going to disappear for a week" then you are correct! Well, I'm not going to completely disappear. I'll just be... Low-profile while I struggle to keep one phone charge alive through a whole week. So minimum activity. I'll probably check like, once a day, so I guess I haven't completely disappeared... If that makes you feel better? Anyway, I'm going camping for seven days so I'll be mainly inactive. Also, I'm switching back to the old timetable, because school starts in two weeks for me :( and I won't have as much time. Basically that's EENB on Saturday, and Destiny on Sunday.
Remember I'm not dead,
-Silver
YOU ARE READING
Destiny Book One: Heart Of Flame (Ahsoka)
Fanfiction-Book One in the Destiny Quartet- Ahsoka Tano died on Malachor at the hand of her former Master, Darth Vader. It was over. Or so it seemed. For Ahsoka had a higher purpose, one laid out for her much earlier, by the Daughter and the ones who served h...
