Chapter Text
Rey watches as her students follow her motions to varying degrees of success. Some can move easily as they wield their blades, but the younger ones are slower, the green and blue lightsabers slashing seconds later. But then the lights dim, mixing together as the scene changes, the bright sunshine is softer, the green of the forest is gone as the world changes to a small room. The calm of nature becomes a cry, the small child in her arms screaming. But it’s not a scream of pain, she’s certain; it’s a scream of new life, one she knows without a doubt that belongs to her. The light dims even further, settling on the familiar cockpit, Finn screaming next to her as the Falcon banks left as she avoids a blast. The opposing ship is unfamiliar, not sure who she is fighting. The change comes again, Han’s ship gone as she finds herself somewhere she’s never seen. It’s dim, but not like she would expect at twilight. No, this is unnatural, wrong, but she knows she should be here. But her vision cuts out, a flash of green approaching in welcome.
Her heart is pounding, the darkness surrounding her disorientating, feeling lost. The hiss of the door makes her gasp, BB’s small form hidden in the shadows as he asks if she’s all right. Her dream fades, places known and unknown dissipating as she remembers where she is heading. The Falcon. Tatooine. She’s here to say goodbye. Rising out of bed, Rey moves out of the room, heading to the galley. She’s hoping she had slept long enough to arrive in the daytime. With a cup of caf in hand, she moves to the cockpit, settling in for the final leg of her journey.
It didn’t take long, Poe’s droid is accurate. The planet’s in sight, hitting atmo soon after she dresses. The homestead is almost too easy to find, like she’s meant to be here. She can’t stall any longer, it’s time. They were gone, both of her masters, and this is the most fitting way to honour them. This had been Luke’s home once and Leia should finally be reunited with her brother. Their lightsabers are all that remained of them. Other than their legacies, of course. That’s the part she’s struggling with.
Stepping outside, she is forcefully reminded of Jakku as the wave of heat hits her. She needs to squint as the twin suns reflect off the sand. She doesn’t intend to stay long, has already been gone longer than she should have but she wants to see where it all began. Even in the daylight, there isn’t much; the home had long since been buried. But she knows this is the right place, sliding down the incline to see what she is able. She wraps the two lightsabers together, burying them deep enough that they should never be disturbed. She doesn’t need them any longer, she made her own.
She misses the old woman’s approach, and the question throws her. Who is she? She can feel them, see Luke and Leia even, so powerful separately but together they are impossible to ignore. The idea comes so suddenly, she knows the only reply she can give. She needs to forge her own path, but she must acknowledge the past. She is Rey Skywalker, even if she’s not sure what that means. But the woman before her doesn’t seem to register her internal dilemma, simply nodding.
“You’re another one of them,” she mutters, pulling her animal away. “Just like old Ben.”
She calls out to her, but the woman ignores it, heading further away. The name strikes her; it could be a coincidence, but she’s learned to trust herself. She’s already late, would another day hurt? BB approaches her, the suns setting rapidly. She needs to decide.
Stay on Tatooine to investigate - Chapter 7: Ben
OR
Return to the base - Chapter 13: Ajan Kloss