Serendipity

Chapter VIII

"We're not equal parts, Light and Dark. We can be brilliant. Are you with me? Are you in or are you out?"

~
Rey sat alone on a flat rock that faced the beautiful sunrise. The air was light and pure to the touch. The sun kissed her face and left a smile on Rey's face.
"Mind if I join you?"
She turned and saw Ben. His hair was tousled and he had a smile forming at the corners of his mouth. There was no way she could've said no to him. He sat by her and put his arm carefully around her. Rey didn't mind. She leaned into his broad form and inhaled his scent. Ben smelled like pine and cool breeze. Rey could've stayed there for hours... days... maybe even years.
She melted into him, and they sat there; watching the sun rise onto the city of Alderaan.
"Ahem."
The two faced the voice and saw Leia standing with Poe, who was acting like a little girl who was just about to receive a large gift for her birthday.
"Poe, I'll take the money you owe me." Leia said slyly, and faced the blushing pilot. His eyes perked as he remembered the bet he and Leia made.
"I-I-I left it in my other pants, whoops. Guess I can't pay up." Poe said, patting his pockets then shrugging.
Leia chuckled and rolled her eyes.
"Anyways, you two lovebirds come back inside. We're leaving in a few minutes." Poe sniggered.
Rey shook her head and faced back to Ben. He grimaced, ripping his arm from Rey. He brought his hands to his face, groaning in pain and snarled. Leia rushed to her son's side as he lay in the damp grass.
"Rey," Leia said, turning to the frightened girl. "Go get Luke."
Rey nodded and jumped from the ground up to her feet and ran to find Skywalker, Poe following behind.
The old man was sleeping in a room. The two friends shook him awake, telling him of Ben's condition. His eyes shot up with fear. That completely worried Rey. The three ran out to Ben. He was shakily yelling and crying out in pain. It was a scary sight for Rey.
Tears welled up in her eyes and they dropped down as she grabbed Poe and cried into his shoulder. He placed his head on hers and hugged Rey, sensing her need for comfort. If there were something Poe wouldn't tell Rey, it was that this wasn't the first time Ben experienced it.
It started one day after Ben's training with Skywalker. The two had had a quarrel about Ben not being ready to learn how to make things float. Ben, of course, being a young fifteen year old, thought he was beyond ready. He'd spend hours upon hours meditating and strengthening his mind.
He never saw the purpose of strengthening it, no matter how much Skywalker tried to vaguely explain it to him. Ben collapsed and howled in pain. It was worse than being stabbed by a million knives. Worse than being burned over and over again. It was an indescribable pain. Over the course of five years, now making Ben twenty, Rey hadn't been present at the time of the first episode, neither the other six. Skywalker sent her out whenever he could sense the attacks. But this time, he didn't feel it. It slipped under his radar.
Skywalker knelt by Ben in the grass and tried to probe whatever it was out and away from Ben's mind. But it was stronger than him. He could feel Ben's force energy pushing against him, alongside with the Dark energy. This terrified the old Jedi.
Ben tried to stifle his screams, until they escaped into his tears. He levitated a few feet off the ground and a strong wave of energy caused everyone stumble or fall backwards, as if someone shoved them. Ben closed his eyes and he fell limp on the grass. His breathing was staggered.
Poe got up slowly, checked on Rey then went to Ben's side. He helped Leia pick him up into the ship. Rey sat and looked at Skywalker with so many tears in her eyes. His mouth was slightly open, still trying to process what had just happened.
The ship immediately zoomed out of Alderaan and back to Luke's training temple to continue Ben's minuscule training fully again.
He'd been sleeping, leaving everyone to calm down for a while. Poe and Rey sat next to each other, chatting and drinking warm Bark tea. Leia sat across from them, reading a book in language Rey didn't understand. Skywalker paced in the far corner of the room, rubbing his beard while in deep thought.
Rey enjoyed just sitting and talking, whereas she was was lonely and didn't have anyone to talk to when she was with the Order. She just simply stayed away from everyone, only occasionally seeing Kylo. Did she miss him? Rey didn't even know anymore.
Ben stumbled into the room, taking steps as if he was drunk. Rey got up from her seat to prop him up. He leaned against her, almost causing her to fall down. She led him to the sofa where she and Poe were sitting and placed him between Poe and herself.
"Hey bud, how ya' doing?" Poe asked casually while sipping his tea.
"I'm fine." Ben said with a frigid expression.
Rey raised an eyebrow. He wasn't acting like himself. He got up, stomped to the kitchen, and poured a glass of water for himself. Luke approached him carefully, unable to sense Ben's energy. It was close to gone.
"Ben... are you-" Skywalker tried to ask.
"I SAID, I'M FINE." Ben barked. The glass of water he had in his hand shattered. Small incisions were made on his hand, small drops of blood falling and colliding with the water.
Leia gulped.
"Leave me alone... old man." He said.
"I am your master, young Solo. You will respect me as such." Skywalker said calmly.
"What master won't let his student progress farther? What master won't let his student get stronger? What master won't accept the fact his student can be stronger than he is?" Ben said, stepping towards Luke. Rey put her tea down quietly and started to get up from the sofa.
"Rey. Sit down." Luke said, not even glancing at her. She obeyed, but kept a close eye on the two.
"Ben. I am trying to train you to prevent-" he pleaded.
"What? Prevent what? Prevent me from finding out the truth?" Ben growled. "You're only doing that because you're afraid of someone being more powerful than you. You're afraid of me being more powerful than you."
"Ben, we both know why I want you to practice mind probing." Luke replied.
"No. I'm sick and tired of you using that against me. I want to be powerful. I want to be better," Ben said, storming out the door. "You know where to find me."
Leia opened her mouth to protest but nothing came out. They all watched in silence as he left the room.
~
Ben stepped outside and was greeted by a warm breeze. He huffed, walked to his hut, and sat down on a wooden chair next to his bed. Pain shot through his head. Ben groaned as he held his head.