The Unchronicled Adventures Of Ahsoka Tano, Book Ten

Chapter Fifty-Eight: Remembering Anakin

EZRA BRIDGER

Ezra found her perched on a stool in the supply closet, her back straight and eyes closed.

His gaze was immediately drawn to the fragments of Kanan's Jedi holocron hovering around her, and the hologram they were orbiting around. Although he had seen this particular recording countless times, it was no less fascinating than it had been the first time – and Ahsoka clearly felt the same way.

Despite her rigid posture, Ezra thought she looked more at peace than he had ever seen her. Her features were relaxed instead of shadowed and drawn out by stress, as if the hologram had somehow given her the ability to completely separate herself from everything that was troubling her.

"Keeping your saber moving is key to deflecting the fire of multiple adversaries," the man in the holo told an audience Ezra could not see. "Fluid motion; one into the next, into the next, and so on."

After a moment of hesitation, Ezra stepped inside and sat down across from her. Ahsoka's white eye markings drew ever so slightly closer together, so she knew he was there, but she too engrossed in her meditation to bother addressing him.

"I've made some... adjustments to the classic Form IV techniques that I think you'll find work well against droids and other ranged attackers," the holographic man continued, raising his lightsaber hilt. "Here – I'll show you."

A training module floated towards him, and he ignited his blade, a stunning blue one that seemed brighter than Kanan's somehow; more alive... although perhaps it was just the way the holocam had captured it. "One. Two. Three," he said, effortlessly blocking every shot that was fired at him. "Four. Five. Six."

"He's amazing," Ezra breathed. "I've watched these recordings to help me with my own saber training."

"You should have seen him in person," Ahsoka's eyes opened, and her gaze met Ezra's for a moment before it settled on the hologram. When she spoke again, it was as if to someone Ezra could not see. "Anakin Skywalker: he was my Master."

Ezra started. So he's the guy who trained her? No wonder she's so good!

"Kanan said he was the greatest warrior the Jedi had in the Clone Wars."

"He was powerful; rarely lost a battle." Ahsoka's gaze softened then, as if she was reliving old memories, but there was a measure of pain hidden in her deep blue eyes that was impossible to miss. "But what always surprised people was how kind he was. He cared deeply about his friends, and looked out for them until the end."

"Practice these exercises mindfully," the image of Anakin Skywalker said, "and you'll see improvement. I promise."

"Do you know what happened to him?" Ezra asked, watching the hologram dissipate into the air.

"The last time I saw him, he was rushing off to save the Chancellor," she told him. "Then everything changed. The war ended, and the Jedi were accused of treason. One by one, they were hunted down."

Ezra's eyes narrowed. "By the Inquisitors."

"Or worse."

"Speaking of Inquisitors..."

Ezra and Ahsoka looked up as Kanan appeared in the doorway.

"Ahsoka, what do you think about us doing the hunting for a change?"

Ahsoka rose to her feet and crossed her arms over her chest, her brow furrowed in concentration. "When you defeated one, two more came. Who's to say we wouldn't multiply our problems yet again?"