Bond (Kylo Ren x Rey)

Blade

"But I can't save Kylo. I already tried that and failed, General," Rey frowned in disappointment. She hadn't been able to help him.

"You're right," Leia replied. Seeing the shock in the scavenger's eyes, she continued, "Only Kylo Ren save himself. Ben Solo is there, but he has to want it. What you can do through your bond is to remind him of his humanity. To show him compassion."

"A-are you sure this is something that I can even do?"

"Yes," Leia smiled softly, "the Force connected you two for a reason. While mine and Han's failings are...evident, there is still a chance for him to realize he is not alone; he has you."

Rey's heart skipped a beat at those last words. Did Leia sense those feelings shoved deep into a corner of her mind? Of something other than hatred, and maybe even the opposite?

Pushing away her questions, she only hesitantly replied, "I feel the good in him. I will try, General."

Hours later after securing her own bunk for the night, Rey pulled the blanket over her shivering body. She curled into a ball, contemplating the redemption of Kylo Ren. Could she really be the one to help? Leia was right, it wasn't Rey's job to save him; it was to be of his own doing. But her role in helping him? That sounded almost as impossible. She remembered the way his face had changed when she told him that he wouldn't hurt her. Kylo's eyes had softened, become brighter, even.

Rey closed her eyes and pulled the blanket tighter around her. Hardening her resolve, she mentally promised herself and Leia that she would do all she could to encourage him. She had seen that light side of him, however fleeting it might have been. It was fighting for space in that tortured heart of his. It didn't erase what he had done to people, to the galaxy. But it didn't mean he still couldn't be redeemed.

——

The next day, Rey dressed and headed out to meet up with General Leia and Poe. Spotting her chatting to the pilot while he tinkered with a beat up X-wing, the scavenger ran up to greet them.

"Hey there, Jedi! I figured maybe we could work on fixing your lightsaber today," Poe offered with a cocky smile.

"But its bro-"

"I feel like with some fresh new eyes and all the tools at our disposal, we have a chance of making it good as new. Or maybe...good enough?" Poe gave a small laugh.

Rey smiled at her new friend's confidence, "Sure, why not? It couldn't hurt to try again."

Minutes later she had retrieved the saber pieces from her bunk as Poe set tools in large piles around him on the ground. What he lacked in experience with lightsabers was made up for in vast technical knowledge and an enthusiasm that even Rey was envious of. Together they examined the two pieces and fiddled with ways that it could be re-powered even with the crystals broken. After hours of propositions and hypotheses, the pilot had an idea.

"You know that staff you carry around with you?"

"Yeah," Rey answered curiously.

"Well what if we took the two pieces of crystal and made a saber...staff? A crystal at each end with a bit in the middle for you to hold."

Smiling at the thought of being able to use an even more lethal version of her handy weapon, Rey agreed to try. Taking apart a bit of her staff to wire the crystals in, the pair worked in quiet unison as they welded bits of metal, installed all necessary wiring, and placed the crystals end to end in the center. Finally, it was something that would maybe work.

Scared to try it out immediately, Rey excused herself to her tent, grabbing the weapon. Crossing her legs on the bunk, she sat with the maybe saber-staff in her dominant hand. She closed her eyes, cleared her mind, and concentrated on the force surrounding her and the lightsaber. Calling on every inch of power she had obtained since her training with Master Luke, she flicked the weapon on. White light and a crackling sound filled the small tent as she opened her eyes. It was real. It had worked. Although the crystals were not as stable as before the break had occurred, they still performed well as she twirled the staff in her grasp. The noise and inconsistency of her blade reminded Rey of Kylo's shifting red one. Had it been made the same way as hers?

Pushing the thoughts out of her mind, she ran out to show Poe the results of their labor. The pilot broke out into a grin upon seeing the beams of light coming from their hard work. Clapping her on the back, he nodded, "Well I'm glad to know it works, because its going to come in handy pretty soon."

"What?" Rey moved back a step in surprise.

"Did you not hear the general's plan?"

"No," she breathed.

"We're making a final stand against the First Order."

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Here's my garbage attempt at the making of her saber-staff! Next chapter goes back to Reylo, so no worries!