Chest Of Clues And Memories

Matters Of Hair And Heart

A/N Trouble is brewing and secrets are revealing!~ Let's see how this one goes out X3 Enjoy!

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"GARAZEB ORRELIOS AND EZRA BRIDGER!" Hera scowled the moment the Phantom reattached and opened to reveal the duo. "YOU TWO BETTER HAVE AN EXPLANATION ON WHY YOU LEFT THE SHIP WITHOUT MY PERMISSION, OR SO HELP ME, I WILL—"

"Hera, relax." Kanan placed a hand on the Twi'lek's shoulder, stopping her at mid-sentence. "Let them explain,"

"Why DID you guys leave without telling Hera where you two were going?" Sabine asked, her hands on her hips. "What was so secretive and important that you didn't tell EITHER of us where you were heading?"

"We... um..." Zeb stuttered to reply, even if he was used to defending Ezra when it came to these things. "We... We kinda went to Lothal then we headed to a far-off moon and..."

"WHY, though?" Kanan raised an eyebrow. "WHY would you go to Lothal, and WHY would you risk heading off to a far-off moon without back-up?"

"To find my parents." Ezra stepped forward, finding the confidence he needed as he went in between the Lasat and the Jedi. "My REAL parents."

The three were stunned at the boy's announcement. Even Hera was caught off-guard. She had read the letters and had theorized that Ezra had been adopted, but she didn't know that it had affected the boy deeply. So deeply that it urged him to find his REAL parents.

"Your real parents?" Kanan's shock was replaced with confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Aren't Ephraim and Mira Bridger your real parents?" Sabine sounded just as confused as Kanan.

"No, they aren't. Not even close," Ezra shook his head. "Zeb, Hera and I will explain everything. I promise, but first, let's move to the common room,"

"Wait," Kanan turned to their Twi'lek Pilot in surprise. "Hera, you knew something about this?"

"I... I did," Hera sighed. "Look, we'll fill you in once we get to the common room. Promise,"

And so, they did. The moment the crew entered the common room and the moment Kanan and Sabine sat down, the trio began explaining, with Ezra starting with his secret birthday mission and what he had found in the his old home, followed by Zeb with what he and Hera had found inside the chest. Ezra soon finished with what he and Zeb had found out at the Lothal Post Office, and what he had found out about his biological male mother in the far-off moon post office.

Sabine's jaw dropped in shock while Kanan's eyes were so wide that they seem like they were going to pop. Hera stared at the boy and the Lasat, surprised about how much info they had gathered during the investigation as the room was filled with tension and silence. Even Chopper was silent, too shocked to even beep a comment or anything.

Zeb worriedly glanced over at Ezra, who had begun to cuddle the dolls in the middle of their explanation. The Honor Guard knew the Padawan would only do that whenever he getting fearful or anxious. He couldn't blame him. His secret had just been plainly exposed in less than an hour. If it were his secret being exposed, he wouldn't talk to them for weeks.

Ezra was squeezing the dolls to his chest, looking down at the ground to avoid the others' eyes. Part of him wanted to walk out, head to his cabin, lock the door and cry on his bunk. Another part of him just told him to break down, right there and then, not caring if the others saw him or even cared to see him. The first part of him won, and he was running for his cabin before he could even stop himself.

"Kid!" Zeb's voice rang after him, along his heavy footsteps, but Ezra was too quick and had locked the door to their cabin. "Ezra, open up!"

Ezra didn't respond. He went up to his bunk and laid down, hugging himself as he began to cry. He held the dolls close to his cheek, not minding if his tears stained it's delicate cloth.