The Revival of The Force

12 discovering kindness

12 discovering kindness

Poe walks down the empty hallways barefoot. He doesn't know what he's looking for or if he even looks for anything. He thinks of the future, intimated by it. The last months have been rich with experience. He has a distraction from the past at least, which is not a secret anymore. He was scared of his friend's reaction, but they didn't lock him up in a dungeon, so that's kind of good. Mysteries and rumours are still floating around, he really tries to find out everything he can. Every rumour is tied with other stories and then when he starts coming to the truth, but it's an all different answer to the question he first asked himself. He kind of gave up searching for the truths. He knows that Finn found out something about Kylo Ren, but he doesnt know how he'll be able to get it out of him. Maybe he should just wait, he's Rey and Finn's friend after all. His stomach gurgles, he goes forward to the canteen and there is a shadow sitting on a chair. It's where they sat earlier. He recognises Yugantar who still sits there. He heads to the table and places himself on the chair next to him. Poe can't really see his face, but he notices his glassy eyes, maybe he cried, and that glance. Staring at nothing, nevertheless he probably sees every movement in the three hundred sixty degree angle of his eyes. He's one of the biggest mysteries that Poe found, but he doesn't feel like finding out. Poe respects his silence. The Spice Runner felt a little excluded from all the Jedi stuff and somehow he followed Finn and Yugantar. That is when he discovered the fragile boy.
Poe doesn't really know what to say or even if he should say anything. Then he has a idea, not really knowing if it will start a discussion. "I'm sorry." He adds: "For hitting your head."
Yugantar looks at him with surprise. "It's okay," he mumbles.
What could I answer, Poe wonders. He doesn't want to ask these questions everyone asks him, if he's finding himself here or how he found out about the Force. He doesn't want to force anything out of him or be a normal person to him either. So the only thing can be talking about himself. Maybe he'll see that Poe can be trusted.
"I was a Spice Runner. Dealing drugs. Constantly followed by the Empire I was worth quite a lot of money. Then I came here, I found a family. I only had BB-8, but he understands himself better with Rey now. She took him with her, now I don't have any droid. But that's all right. I prefer persons."
"I met a droid once," Yugantar starts. "He saved my life."
Poe expects more, but that's it. So he stays silent again.
"I was somewhere dangerous on my planet and he distracted the people following me so I could escape," Yugantar adds.
"Leia would say: never underestimate a droid. She's right."
Yugantar nods with a hum. They stay silent looking at the hallway who leads to the chambers.
"Have you ever felt love?" Yugantar asks.
Poe frowns surprised. He didn't quite expect him to ask anything and that question even less.
"Good question," he answers trying to hide his surprise. "I felt attraction to other persons, then there's also love to my friends, of course, but do you mean love between – " He gestures with his hands the empty space in front of him and himself with the other hand. He movies his hands closer and more distant repeatedly.
"Yeah, this love," Yugantar smiles a little.
"No," Poe says. "Not really, no."
"Me neither. So you don't love Zorii?" Yugantar asks.
"How do you know that? I mean, why are you asking?" He doesn't try to hide his surprise this time.
"I see more than you think," Yugantar answers smiling a bit more.
"Well," Poe starts laughing out of embarrassment. "I don't really know. She's kind, we had spent some time together, but I think it's hopeless now. If this is love, I don't know, really. I've never had this strong feeling where I am sure I love her. And you?"
"Never felt love for my family. I don't have any friends, nor any lover, so no, not really."
"I can be you friend. And some day, I might be your family if you get used to this life." Poe doesn't think about it and puts his arm around Yugantar's shoulders. He jerks a little bit relaxes later.
"It's okay, I will not hurt you." Poe adds. "Again."
"I'm not used to any contact," Yugantar justifies.
"You want a hug? Like, to know how it feels?"
"Okay," he answers shy.
Poe takes him in his arms, first softly but becoming more firm. It's a friends hug, like the ones with Finn. Does he have a new friend? They let each other go, an awkward silence breaks in.
"You want to stay here all night or why are you here?" Poe goes on.
"To be honest, I waited for someone to come." Yugantar doesn't know why he just said the truth but there is no going back now. "I felt alone, even here and I thought no one cared, but you came, so I must be a little important."
Poe feels a pinch of guilt in his stomach because he came for food in the first place. He promises himself to look out for the boy now.
"You're way more important than you think." He taps his shoulder and stands up. He reaches the keys that are hidden under the cutlery at the bar. He opens the glass window and takes two fruits. He closes it again, hides the key where he found it and walks back to Yugantar. But he's gone. He sits down and eats the two fruit alone, not minding that he kept one for Yugantar at first.

The newcomer can't help but yawn as Finn explains the exercises of the day. It will be less physical, some stick fighting and then mental training to use the Force whenever it is needed. Rose will be there too, she wants to see the whole procedure. Yugantar thinks about Poe and if he'll be there too. He really starts to appreciate him. When he went into bed, he promised he will train hard to nearly become a Jedi when Rey will return. One stick is held in front of his nose. He takes it and they stand next to a tree. Finn shows the movement he knows, first slowly and they repeatedly do it. After a few hours, improvement is visible. Finn notices it and Rose approves. The next training in the woods is reflex during a fight. A late reaction can change a lot. Yugantar's only hand is red and covered in blisters. He winces in pain when he holds the stick but ignores it. Next up is a break, they eat, Zorii and Poe join them. Yugantar sits beside Zorii on the opposite of Poe, who is next to Finn. Yugantar flinches when he holds the fork in his hand. The cold contact is relieving, but painful at the same time. He stays silent as a debate about politics starts. None of the planets they are talking about rings a bell in his head. He should get geography lessons too. The break extends, he chooses to go to the conference room. A huge map of the galaxy stared back at him. He approaches it and tries to remember every single name of the planets, moons and regions. He heard some of them during the discussions, still many he never heard of. There is a new planet, freshly written down. Exegol. Yugantar goes closer, thinking if he will know more about it with walking forward. With his finger, he touches the planet lightly. Nothing happens. He does it again, still nothing. A cough reaches his ears, Finn stands at the entry to announce that the lesson will continue. When Yugantar leaves, Finn looks at the planet's name. Why isn't Rey here? He feels like the boy is way more responsibility than he first thought.

"We'll meditate. Feel the forest and stuff," Finn declares once they are in the woods. He lays Rey's book down and sits on a rock.
Yugantar chooses one and makes himself comfortable on there. Rose leans against another one on the ground. She gets bored pretty fast as they close their eyes. She's more needed in the conference room than here. Decisions have started to be taken. Few ships have travelled to planets and bought them enough food for a week. Feeding a whole planet is really hard. It's difficult to know in which continents a huger population number is. Migration will be very present in the next years. Planets who are inhabitable will have to move their populations to another one with similar conditions. No solution has been found for overpopulated planets. They lead to poverty, hunger, territory wars and distinctions of the different social classes. Of course, there will never be a struggle-less galaxy but to maintain the galaxy in peace is the most important thing now. Something moves behind Rose and she sons realises it's the rock behind her. Finn and Yugantar are lifting the rocks up, so now she's suddenly lying, eyes to the sky.
"Ouch," she says silently. The rocks circle around both of the Jedis. She's pretty glad not to be Force sensitive, it's too much responsibility for her. Helping her friends, forging plans with adventurous twists. There is also something else she wants, but she doesn't admit that. Finn, she wants him, but he's always so preoccupied by whatever is going on. She will ask him today if he wants to spend some time with her. Indeed, when they finish the training and walk back to the base, Rose is next to Finn, Yugantar ahead.
"So I was wondering if you would like to spend some time with me. I don't know when, you seem busy, but maybe – "
"Rose, of course, I'd love to. What about tonight? After dinner in my room if you want. We can talk all night."
"You would stay awake for me all night?"
"Yeah! It's harmless, isn't it? It will not be like that every night, but whenever you want."
"Okay, I'll be there," she answers blushing and smiling.
The rest of the day is free. Yugantar prefers having lessons because he wouldn't bore himself. There is really not much to do here. But back home, was there more? He misses his house, he would like to go back there when he's older. When all of this will be over. It will be, one day... He takes a shower then stares at himself in the mirror. His hair is too long and unbrushed. He sneaks into Rey's room and looks for hairbrush. Fortunately, one lies on the table. He walks to the canteen. It is too full to take some scissors.
"Hi, you're looking for something?" Poe asks when he sees Yugantar scrutinise the canteen.
"Scissors." Since Poe frowns, he adds: "My hair."
"I'll get you some. Where should I bring them?"
"Bathroom," he answers.
"I'll be there, go ahead," Poe answers. This is really nothing but he will be a little occupied with something. Exaggerating the whole situation, he pretends that he's stealing a huge weapon. He brings the scissors to Yugantar, checking if anyone sees him with the prestigious weapon.
"Thanks," the Naboo says and stands in front of the mirror.
"Do you want me to cut them?" Poe proposes.
"I'm fine, thanks," Yugantar answers.
"Okay," he leaves. He waits in his room, not far away from the bathroom to see the result. After a really long time, Yugantar comes out. His hair is shoulder lengths, brushed and still wet. Poe lets him pass by and watches him as he opened the door of his room and disappears behind it.