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Breathe in. Breathe out. Wildlife buzzed in the bushes and trees. Breathe in. Breathe out. The sun burned the back of his neck. Breathe in. Breathe out. A slight breeze pulled at his shirt and shifted the sand beneath him.
Ezra was getting really, really tired of sand.
Focus, he heard Kanan’s voice in his head. You are connected to every living thing in the universe. The Force is all around you. Be still, and focus.
Ezra was also getting really tired of focusing. But there wasn’t much else to do on this island. Or this entire planet, really. So here he was, day he’s-lost-count-but-it’s-been-a-kriffing-lot of trying to fill time with meditation.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
He attempted to clear his mind and turn his awareness to his surroundings. He wasn’t quite sure what had happened after the purrgil had taken Thrawn’s ship from Lothal. He lost consciousness somewhere along the way, waking up on a deserted little island on a deserted little planet with Thrawn and his ship nowhere to be found.
At least it was better than waking up on a deserted little island on a deserted little planet with Thrawn, right? Ezra shivered. He didn’t want to imagine waiting with Thrawn to be rescued. Because he was going to be rescued. His crew was looking for him. Sabine had to be looking for him. He was counting on her.
He took his hands from his knees and placed them on the ground, letting the feel of the sand take over his thoughts.
Course. Rough. Irritating. Gets everywhere. And yet, there is life . In the ground. In the air. In the trees. Barrelling towards him with ear piercing screeches.
Wait, what?
His eyes snapped open just in time to catch a glimpse of his attacker before being knocked to the ground.
“Crazy Two Legs! Crazy Two Legs!”
“Get off me, you big oaf!”
“Gonna Getchya! Gonna Getchya!”
TraViss: the single most annoying creature in the known universe (and Ezra had lived with Chopper). A feathered life form with wings and four opposable thumbs; a combination made to cause mischief. They had an inherent ability to pick up languages and no predators that Ezra could identify. The self proclaimed TraViss was the only one of their kind Ezra had seen. A completely unnecessary addition to the food chain.
Naturally Ezra had befriended them immediately.
“Better Run! Better Run!”
“What are you talking about?” Ezra demanded, finally wriggling free.
“Where did ya go, ya crazy bird!” Another voice came from the foliage before TraViss could respond. Ezra scrambled to his feet, not sure if he should run, or hide and see who the newcomer was. His hesitation robbed him of the choice as figures burst into the small clearing from all sides. They were a mix of races, all with very illegal looking blasters. Pirates. After all these years the first people to find him are pirates! The universe had a cruel sense of humor.
“There’s the little bugger!”
“Who’s that?”
“I thought you said there wasn’t nobody else on this planet.”
“Just blast ‘im so we can get out o’ ‘ere”
“Eat you for breakfast! Eat you for breakfast!”
Ezra shot TraViss a glare before holding his hands up (hopefully) non threateningly. “What if we didn’t do either of those things?”
“Look kid, no hard feelings, alright?” The biggest of the lot raised his blaster at Ezra’s nose.
This cannot be how I die. Sabine would kill me.
“Hold it!” A very familiar voice turned the attention of the pirates.
No way.
“Everybody freeze. You are all crazy! Can’t you see who this is?”
Ezra turned to find the one, the only, Hondo Ohnaka.
“Ezra Bridger! You are not dead after all!” With open arms, the Weequay approached the speechless Jedi. After a very aggressive embrace, Hondo stood back with his hands on Ezra’s shoulders.
“Let me look at you, my friend!” A small stream of liquid leaked out from his goggles.
“Are you crying, Hondo?”
“Absolutely not! The air on this strange planet itches.”
“Pants on Fire! Pants on Fire”
“You’re right, TraViss. He’s obviously emotional over seeing me again.”
“Oh, ho ho! Who is your little friend? He looks very… expensive.”
“You can’t sell them, Hondo.”
“Yes, yes, you’re a Jedi, we get it. Now, what is my old partner doing all the way out in the unknown regions, eh?”
Ezra rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. “I’ve actually been stuck here for a while, waiting for someone to find me so I can go back home.” To Lothal. And the Ghost. And Hera and Zeb and Chopper. And Sabine.
“Yes, well, as my sweet mother used to tell me, ‘There’s no place like home. Except for the Cantina.’ But that’s besides the point. Come, Ezra Bridger, we must get you back to your crew. They must be missing their best Pirate-Jedi.”