Chapter Text
Inhaling deeply, then exhaling… There’s a buzz of sound and Ben lifts his lightsaber just in time to block the blast from the training droid. It zooms towards him and he backflips over it, then force pushes it into a tree. These weren’t a challenge, not for him, not anymore. He needed an actual challenge, and he knew only Rey could give him that.
But Rey was busy helping Finn. She had asked Ben to train Finn and of course, he declined. Who did they really think he was? Or what did they think he was capable of? He was no Skywalker, at least not like Luke or his grandfather. He did not deserve to be a Jedi master. He meant it when he said he was done with the Jedi and the Sith. Now he only needed the power to protect Rey and her friends. And besides, he knew that the ex-stormtrooper wanted nothing to do with him anyway. Sure he was more civil towards him now but that did not mean they were suddenly best friends. Poe and Finn still very much hated him.
Ben sighs in frustration as the droid he forgot to turn off comes towards him again, he force pushes it so hard it goes flying and disappears into the jungle terrain. He turns to head back to base when he’s suddenly force pushed and falls face-first onto the ground. “What the kriff!” He growled and turned sharply.
“You need a better challenge than some training droid right?” A Force ghost, clad in black robes, with long locks similar to his, grinned down at him.
Ben stared in shock, he had heard the voice a few times now but he had never seen Anakin Skywalker. Perhaps he had in his dreams or visions but not like this. After years of speaking to the Vader mask, this felt surreal. He …. didn’t know what feel exactly. That voice he had thought was his grandfather was always Snoke or Palpatine. To think what could have been if he actually had guidance from his real grandfather.
“Grandfather…” Ben quickly stood up.
“Ben.” Anakin smiled and strode towards him, barely giving them time to react as he swung his lightsaber.
Ben grunts as he barely blocks the blow, his eyes still wide in disbelief. Why now? After years and years of feeling so alone. After years of hearing voices in his head, Snoke’s and Palpatine’s but never actually his grandfather’s. And again the realization hit. Not once when he needed it did he hear the true voice of the man he had looked up to so much, not until it was too late.
Anakin frowned slightly, seeing the hurt play out in his grandson’s face.
“Don’t look at me like that!” Ben growled and this time he was the one who swung. He felt that familiar anger filling him, fueling him. Anakin easily blocked the blow and parried with a wide swing over Ben’s head.
“You all gave up on me.” Ben blocked the blow. “I had no one! No one but myself, until Rey came along.”
“That isn’t true. Snoke and Palpatine were strong with their pull over you to the Dark but I still like to think I was stronger, you were stronger.” Anakin grabs the hilt of the legacy saber just as Ben tries to swing again. Anakin’s hand gripped theirs tightly as he gazes deep into their eyes.
Ben gasps at the sudden contact, images of the past and future flowing through him.
‘Forgive me, Grandfather, for I feel it again, the pull to the light.’
Ben saw himself kneeling down in front of Vader’s mask. And behind him, he saw Anakin looking at him with what looked like anguish. Anakin had tears streaming down his face as he placed his hands on Kylo Ren’s shoulders and leaned down to kiss the top of his grandson’s head. ‘I know you can’t hear me Ben, but I see the light in you, I know you feel it. You are not like me, you are stronger, you are not like the Jedi no, but you are no sith. You are more powerful, more powerful than Snoke and that’s why he tries to control you. Ben… I’m with you, always.’
The force ghost he never saw…
He sees countless flashbacks of Kylo Ren’s weakest moments. The moments when he couldn’t bring himself to do Snoke’s biddings, the moment he killed his father, the moment he couldn't bring himself to kill his mother, every single time he felt Ben Solo remerging. Anakin Skywalker was standing beside him.
The pull to the light he felt his whole life was Anakin…. ?
Ben’s lip trembled as he stepped back. For a brief moment behind Anakin, he saw a few other figures, his mother, Luke, and another man in light robes…. Obi-Wan. But then it was just Anakin standing before him, so solid he almost forgot they were just a Force ghost. Before he could step back, his grandfather suddenly pulled them into a hug.
Ben tensed but then slowly he felt his walls crumbling down. He hugs his grandfather tightly, closing his eyes as he feels the tears threatening to spill. “You’re never alone, Ben. And it’s never too late, even for me it wasn’t too late, I just wished I had learned sooner.”
“I can’t be what they want me to be.” Ben slowly regains his composure and slowly pulls away. “I’m not some Master Skywalker like-”
“No, Ben you’re not. You are a Skywalker, but the better ones, the best of us all really. But you are not me nor Luke. You’re you…. You know the dark, and you know the light! Imagine what you can do for others! Teach them of your mistakes, teach them to be better! With the light and dark you have true balance! You and Rey have the power to build something new, something better! You know what you have to do! And you do have the strength to do it!” Anakin grabbed Ben’s shoulders as he smiled warmly. “You’ve always known.”
And he did. Perhaps that is why he never wanted to go down the path of a Jedi. Like his father, he wanted to run away from it all, from his power. A pilot would have been such an easier life. But also like his father he did not have the heart to run away from those who needed him. Like Han, he knew what was right. And now with Rey…. his dyad, now he can’t imagine it any other way. Anakin was right, he knew. He was no hero, but he knew he had the power to do what was right. To be that Ben Solo that Rey saw him as. It wouldn’t be easy but nothing in life was. At least now he knows he’ll never be alone.
Seeing the resolve in his grandson’s face, Anakin smiles and nods gently.
“Now, how about that really challenge you were looking for?” Anakin stepped back and reignited his lightsaber.
Ben is shaking his head in amusement and can’t hide the small grin that forms at the corner of his lips. He too ignites his lightsaber.
“My lightsaber suits you well.” Anakin winks before rushing towards him.
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Rey had been a bit hesitant to show Finn this place. The waterfall she and Ben often used to meditate, but in the end, Ben had suggested it when she asked where to start training with Finn.
She sat on a rock beside Finn, trying to gently instruct him, the way Luke had instructed her. But it didn’t seem to be working. All Finn felt was Rey and Ben through the force. He didn’t feel the force in nature and the force itself among them.
“Okay Rey, but like if you could tell me exactly what I’m supposed to feel or sense this might go quicker.” He opens his eyes to look at her in slight frustration.
“If I tell you, it won’t work. You have to just… feel it.” Rey sighs and slumps slightly. She was a horrible teacher. “Finn, I’m sorry I’m not really good at this, I want to help but it may take me time as well.”
“It’s fine, let’s just try again?” Finn offers her a gentle smile and then he sits up straight and closes his eyes again, concentrating he inhales deeply and tries to reach out with the force.
The rock he was sitting on trembled slightly.
“Oh… I think I feel something!” He gasped “It’s like everything is moving and-”
He opens his eyes when he hears Rey yelp in surprise.
“What the kriff!”
Finn sees Ben standing some distance away, his arm outstretched towards them.
He had lifted the rocks they were sitting on and was pulling them towards him. Once they were in front of him he gently sets them down.
Rey was smiling widely at Ben.
“You two ready for some real force training?” Ben grins.
“Was that really necessary though?” Finn rolls his eyes. “Show off.”
“We are ready, Master Solo! Or should I call you Master Skywalker?” Rey teased.
“Don’t call me that!” Ben groans and shakes his head.
“Yeah, I’m definitely not calling him Master.” Finn shakes his head.
Ben just goes over and forces Finn to sit on the ground. “Sit and close your eyes!”
Rey watches curiously and sits nearby.
“Put your hand on the ground, feel the dirt and plants.” He sits a few feet away in front of Finn with a small rock in his hands. “Now reach out….”
It takes a few silent minutes but finally Finn’s brows relax and he smiles slightly. He felt it, the force all around him, the living creatures and the planet itself. He almost gasped at how overwhelming it was. Ben asks specific questions so he can focus on certain things. “Now focus on my force signature.”
Finn who still had his eyes closed just nods.
Ben suddenly throws the rock at Finn’s face. Rey’s eyes widen as she’s about to warn Finn but to her shock, he catches the rock right before it was about to smack into his face.
“Really?!” Finn opens his eyes and glares at Ben.
“What? I knew you’d catch it.”
“And if I didn’t?!”
“Then you would have had a nasty black eye.” Ben just shrugs and stands.
“I think that’s enough for today. Practice meditating, we’ll continue tomorrow.” He pats Finn’s shoulder.
“Good I’m beat anyway, I’ll see you two for lunch.” Finn waves at them both before disappearing through the thick jungle.
Rey had her arms crossed and was grinning at Ben.
“What?” He asks and can’t help but smile back at her.
“I knew you’d make a good teacher.” She closes the distance between them and stands on her toes to kiss his cheek.
Ben just smiles and leans into the kiss briefly.
“I had some encouragement and training today.”
“Luke?” Rey’s eyes widen in curiosity. The Force ghosts have shown up for her too, but she couldn’t deny she was glad to hear that they were also there when Ben needed them too.
Ben shakes his head. “My Grandfather…”
Sensing the emotions swirling through the bond, Rey gently places her hand on his cheek.
“Remember when you told me I wasn’t alone and I told you neither were you?”
“Yes, I know…” Ben chuckles softly and nods, knowing what she was getting at. “I’ve never been alone just like you’ll never ever be alone, Rey.” He grabs her hands and Rey gently squeezes back.
“So are you all tuckered out or do you want to show me what Anakin taught you?” She grins and slowly steps away and grabs her lightsaber.
“Oh, you of all people should know I’m not easy to tucker out,” Ben smirks, igniting his saber and giving a small shrug before blocking Rey’s blow.
There was nothing quite as exhilarating as sparring with each other. It was like a dance only they knew how to do with each other.
The dyad sparred until Finn showed up again, scolding them for missing lunch.
“So I see how it is! You two are doing secret Jedi training without me! Just because I’m not that strong with the force yet, just you two wait and see!” Finn grumbles a few feet ahead of them as they all head back to base.