Snippets of Ahch-To (AU) (discontinued)

#2: Wonder / The Falcon

It was nearly nightfall. The Ahch-To suns shone over the vast sea, illuminating the water in a pallet of reds and golds.

"Grandpa, I'll need to get my things from the Falcon." 

Anakin stood with his cane, his back hunched over, unfocused eyes squinting at the loose shape in the distance, located near the bottom of the cliff. "Would you like me to help you retrieve your possessions?"

"Are you sure? It's a bit far." Rey concerningly rested a hand on Anakin's mechanical appendages. She did not want Anakin to tire himself out, knowing that going up and down stairs was an extremely painstaking process for her aged, doddery grandfather. 

"Don't worry, the distance doesn't seem too bad. In fact, do you want to race?" There was a mischievous smirk on his wizened face. His voice was drenched in youthful enthusiasm.

Confused, Rey raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you can? I don't want you to risk your safety just to please me."

The smirk grew wider, and unfocused blue eyes twinkled in excitement. "Of course I can. In fact, I could probably even beat you. Do not underestimate me for my old age."

"Um... Sure. If you insist. Promise you won't get hurt?" Rey's hands tightened around her grandfather's; a rusty mechanical hand then lay itself onto the back of her palm, turning into a stack of metal and flesh.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. I promise I'll be okay." Anakin winked, squeezing Rey's hand. Wobbling, he set his cane to the ground, drew the Force to him, and steadied himself.

"Ready?"

Rey nodded; the two took off. The young woman giggled as she ran towards the steps that would lead her down the slope; however, she skidded to a halt a few steps later, worriedly watching her grandfather drag himself towards the edge of the cliff. 

"No, grandpa!" She screeched, dread pounding in her ears as she ascended the steps as fast as she could, trying to stop the elderly man before he ended his life. Good thing Anakin's steps were sluggish.

Anakin slowly smiled, his kind eyes crinkling with adoration. Huffing from his exertion, he rasped, "I will not be hurt, sweetheart. Watch."

The Force pulled towards the elderly man. Suddenly his pace quickened, and before Rey realized it, he was a blur that had dived over the edge of the cliff. 

Her eyes widened in bewilderment and genuine fear. "Grandpa!" 

"WOOOOOOO!"

The wind washed into Anakin's face, his soft tunic flying in the wind. The warn sunlight of dusk beamed on the back of his bald, scarred head, and the pale skin reflected that light back towards the atmosphere. He stretched out his limbs just like he used to when he was younger, letting gravity take control. The old man let out a hoarse scream of exhilaration, his eyes glimmering with thrill.

Rey was frozen in astonishment; meanwhile, a few onlooking Caretakers shared grunts of disappointment. The aged Skywalker was nearly 80, but still too reckless at times. Sometimes his age and appearance simply betrayed his maturity. Now, he better has his hoverchair at the bottom of that cliff...

Chewbacca, who was enjoying a fancy meal of roasted porgs, was quite disturbed when he watched an ancient, crazily gleeful man descend the sheer cliff in front of him. He did not expect a maniacal human to be on this island. Where's Rey?

Despite his typically unsteady gait, Anakin landed with smoothness and grace; the Force had cushioned his fall. He let out a final gasp of pleasure. The experience of being carried down by nature would never cease to grant him merriment. Mechanical legs sprang a little at the impact, but overall it was all good. Soon, his cane floated down from the top cliff, and the elderly man's infirm stance was made more unyielding.