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Chapter Text

Toshinori winces as Izuku is barely able to duck in time to dodge Ochako’s attack, rolling away on his back and straightening just as the brunette begins her next barrage of attacks. Her blue saber spins and cuts through the air with ferocity, but each time, it’s met by a well-calculated block from Izuku’s dark green blade, darker than any other green saber in use. 

“I didn’t think it would be possible,” Toshinori chuckles. “But your padawan is somehow even more aggressive than the last time I saw her. And she seems to be heavily leaning into form four. Not something I would expect from a student of yours.”

Ryuko shakes her head, smiling a little as the two older Jedi watch their teen students spar across one of the many training rooms in the Jedi temple. “You would be correct. And if I am not mistaken, your student is favoring form three?” Toshinori nods. “As expected. As for Ochako, her aggression comes from her determination. She still hopes to one day return home and assist her parents.”

“Not many of the children who come to the temple remember their parents.” Toshinori cringes a bit when, after blocking a series of strikes, Izuku decides to grin cheekily at Ochako, only to receive an elbow to the face in response. “So it is impressive she has managed to keep that resolve all these years.”

“Impressive? Yes,” Ryuko concedes, watching Ochako carefully. “Or perhaps an attachment she refuses to let go of?”

“I would lean toward the former.” Toshinori tilts his head toward the woman, keeping his eyes on the kids. “Unless you are trying to bait me into another lively discussion about the Jedi’s rules on forming attachments.”

Ryuko laughs softly. “There will be no need for that. Your master and you have made your stances on the subject quite clear.” Toshinori gains a wistful look as memories of Nana flood him. “Still, I wish it did not prevent you from joining the council.”

“A sentiment you all share?” Toshinori asks knowingly. 

Rolling her eyes, Ryuko fires an amused look at him. “Despite how he seems on the outside, you and I both know Aizawa just wants what’s best for all the kids here.”

“What she isn’t telling you,” both Jedi look up when Master Kit Fisto walks in, grinning, “is that Aizawa even tends to treat many adults as children.”

“Well, perhaps if you stopped stealing his snacks.” Ryuko raises an eyebrow just as Kit is about to pour an entire bag of candy into his mouth. He stops for a moment, before looking her in the eye and slowly emptying the bag’s contents into his mouth. 

“Yes,” Ryuko nods. “Acting childish is certainly a way to inspire Aizawa to stop treating you as such.” 

“It’s not so much about acting as a child, but more, adding levity to a dark time.” Kit walks beside the other adults, watching the children continue to exchange blows with their lightsabers. “One that I hope will begin brightening very soon.”

Ochako attempts to spin around Izuku’s defense, but a swift kick from the green-haired boy sends her sprawling onto the ground a couple of meters away. “Good trick,” he says, grinning down at her. She glares back up at her friend, nostrils flaring. “Not good enough.” Izuku yelps and leaps away when Ochako jumps at him. 

Kit laughs. “My, he’s certainly a lot more cheekish than I remember.”

“It’s as you said,” Toshinori replies. “We have all had to develop our own ways to cope with the war.” He thinks for a moment. “That, and I may have let him join Skywalker on one too many missions.”

“No more explanation needed.” Kit raises his hand. “He has that effect on others.” The three watch in silence as it seems the duel will be coming to an end soon. Kit hums, stroking his chin. “It seems as if Uraraka will be ending this shortly.”

“Her progress has been improving wonderfully,” Ryuko says. Both men can easily hear how proud she is of her padawan. “It would not surprise me if she is ready for her trials within the next couple of years.”

“I am hopeful for the same with Izuku. However…” Toshinori watches the fight closely. “I wouldn’t count my boy out of this fight just yet.”

Izuku and Ochako clash, their lightsabers grinding against each other, starting to produce a high-pitched scratching noise. “C’mon Izuku…” Ochako pants. “You can’t win by only defending. You have to- you have to strike back eventually.”

“No, I don’t…” Izuku grinds his teeth to keep his blade up. “I just have to wait for you to tire yourself out.” He throws her off of him, and Ochako moves back to attack again, but she’s more tired than she realizes, stumbling and losing her footing. In that moment, Izuku quickly blocks her strike, and with a twirl of his blade, disarms Ochako, her lightsaber extinguishing when it clunks onto the ground. 

Feeling the satisfaction radiate off of him, Izuku raises his lightsaber to Ochako, while the brunette’s eyes dart around the room. “That puts me two wins ahead now, doesn’t it? Give?”

Ochako’s eyes widen slightly before she turns back to her opponent. “Never.” Reaching out, she uses the force to hurl a large and very heavy crate at Izuku. When it comes to the force, Ochako is a natural at using it to lift objects many times heavier than even experienced Jedi knights could handle, so Izuku has no choice but to pivot and use his lightsaber to cut the box in half, saving himself. 

But just as he thinks he’s safe, he feels a hand grab his wrist. The greenette doesn’t have a chance to even feel any dread before Ochako twists his wrists, causing Izuku to shout in pain, dropping his lightsaber. All Ochako gives him is a smirk. 

“Oh no.”

Ochako whirls around, throwing Izuku over her shoulder so he lands with a hard thud! on the training room floor. By the time his senses come back, Ochako is on top of him, holding his arms above his head by the wrists and victoriously grinning down at him. “I think that makes us even now, doesn’t it? Give?”

Kit breaks out laughing before holding his hand out to Toshinori, who grumbles while dropping credits into the other Jedi’s palm. Ryuko looks between them. “Did- did you have a bet about who would win between them?”

“Not exactly.” Kit counts his money. “I made an observation some time ago that every time the pair spars, one of them always ends up on top of the other. Toshinori made a bet with me that at least one of their next three bouts wouldn't end that way.” He gives the blond man finger guns. “And he just lost.”

“Gloating isn’t exactly the Jedi way,” Toshinori chides with not much heat. 

“I’d like to think of it more as celebrating.”

“No wonder you and Hizashi get along so well.”

Izuku struggles under Ochako’s hold for a few seconds before going limp. She prompts him with a look, which causes Izuku to respond with his most annoyed look, but when he still can’t escape, he concedes. “Fine…give.” 

Toshinori hums. “Now that I think about it, Fisto may be correct about their training sessions. I wonder why that is?” Ochako hops up, pulling Izuku back onto his feet easily as the two chat about the fight they just had, using the force to pull their respective lightsabers back to one another.

“I have…a theory.” Ryuko chews her lip. “But I sincerely hope it’s not true, as it could damage their training as Jedi.”

“That will have to wait a moment.” The adults straighten at the seriousness in Kit’s voice, all of his usual carefree energy gone. He lowers his communicator. “That was Master Windu. Ryuko, he needs us now.”

“Yes, of course.” She beckons Ochako to her, with both teens jogging up to their masters. “Did he explain what for?”

Kit shakes his head. “No. Just that it is urgent.”

“I’ll keep an eye on Uraraka,” Toshinori assures Ryuko. 

The blonde woman nods gratefully before turning to look down at her padawan. “It seems I have urgent council business to attend to. Behave for Toshinori, and I will fetch you when I’m done.”

“Can’t I come with you?” Ochako whines. “I promise I’ll be good! And quiet, I’ll be so quiet you won’t even know I was there!”

“Unless she falls asleep…” Izuku mumbles.

“Don’t you dare…”

“She snores, you know-“ Izuku is cut off by the chokehold he suddenly finds himself in, courtesy of Ochako. 

Using her free hand to wave at her master, Ochako beams. “I’ll be good! Go handle your probably boring senate meeting.”

“I will.” Ryuko begins to walk away with Kit. “And not to worry, I will give you a full detailed breakdown of my meeting when I return. Because, as you said,” Ryuko offers her apprentice her own tiny smirk, “you are just so anxious to go.”

Ochako makes a face at the Jedi master before she leaves, ignoring strained protests by the boy in her arms. Toshinori sighs, watching the two adults leave. “I suppose we’ll have to find a way to entertain ourselves for the rest of the evening then. Uraraka?”

“Yes, Master Yagi?”

“If you’d be so kind as to stop choking my apprentice, I would greatly appreciate it. Besides, you cannot take the lead in your competition if he isn’t around.”

Sighing, Ochako releases Izuku, who after falling to the ground briefly, hops back up gasping for air. “H-hey! I couldn’t breathe!”

“That’s such Bantha Fodder, Izuku. I gave you plenty of room to-“

Toshinori clears his throat, snickering a bit when the pair jumps to attention. He doesn’t miss the little bump Izuku gives the girl in retaliation or the look she gives back, promising pain in his future. Kids will be kids he supposes. 

“Master Yagi, where are we going?” Izuku asks curiously. His mentor had taken them through a mess of winding halls that, no matter how much time he spent in the temple, it doesn’t seem like he can memorize. The only comfort is the temple guards, who stand silently off to the side. Izuku had been embarrassed to ask them for directions in the past. 

“Why, more training of course!”

Izuku groans in unison with Ochako. 

“Master, could I be excused from training tonight, since I so thoroughly kicked Izuku’s butt earlier?” Ochako questions sweetly. 

“Really? Like all that butt you kicked when we were on Florrum?” Ochako glares, just daring him to continue. But Izuku does indeed dare. “Remember? How easy those Weequay pirates captured you and I had to be the one to rescue you-“

“Yeah, and you got yourself captured too, you drydak!” Ochako counters.

“But who was smart enough to have a tracker active on him when he went?” Izuku taps his head. “Therefore, point to me, you still need training.” For good measure, as any mature and humble winner of an argument would do, he sticks his tongue out at her. 

“Why you-“

“How about we just all agree that you could both use some training. Afterall, no matter your age, there’s always something to learn.” Toshinori doesn’t let the kids see him sag in relief, happy to stop another argument from devolving into a wrestling match. He shakes his head at the memories of Ryuko and him having to save their overzealous padawans from getting themselves captured…again. 

“Master?” The way Izuku calls out to him is hesitant. It reminds the old Jedi of what the boy was like when they first met so long ago. Timid, insecure, unsure of himself. Stuttering every other word and so frail, it looked as if the wind could blow him away. It had been a long road to get where they were. 

And Izuku practically sprinted down said road. Even though the boy was one of the oldest kids to be brought to the temple, only barely younger than Skywalker had been, he had worked hard to get to where he is today. His confidence had leaped in improvement, although it can still wane at times, and spending time around a great many of his peers during his Jedi academy certainly helped as well. 

Being caught up in a three year civil war that encompasses the entire galaxy also tends to expedite training, he supposes. 

“Yes, young Izuku?” Toshinori answers. 

The boy looks unsettled, and what’s even more telling, is how doubtful Ochako herself seems. “It’s just…” Izuku starts hesitantly. “There have been…whispers around the temple.” Ochako nods, supporting what Izuku is saying. “Is the war really practically over?”

Toshinori is cautious. Even though he isn’t on the council, there are plenty of members who tell him the goings-on for advice or just to keep him in the loop. Such as when they secretly supported a rebel group on Onderon, or when they decided to expel Padawan Tano from the order. The latter of which, he still staunchly disagrees with. 

So yes, he knows a bit more than others. He is aware of Count Dooku’s recent death. He knows of Master Kenobi going to bring an end to General Grievous, and the current Siege of Mandalore occurring. All events that could very much signal the end of the war. 

So why did he still feel so uneasy?

Not wanting to exactly lie, Toshinori responds to Izuku with, “To be honest my boy, if you were to ask me, I would not say the war is practically over.” He continues quickly as he can already see both the teens developing disheartened faces. “However, I would say that a light is beginning to shine on the horizon, and soon, hopefully sooner than we expect, it will shine on all of us.”

It fills him with joy at renewed looks of relief on Izuku and Ochako’s faces. No, he does not think the war is practically over. But he hopes, for these kid’s sake, it is sooner than they all expect. 

“I gotta know, are Jedi masters required to take a class on speaking in proverbs? Because I swear, you all do it.” Toshinori chuckles, turning around as a pair of temple guards walk towards them. The taller person removes her helmet to reveal indigo-colored hair with several pink streaks and sharp purple eyes. “Or, does that come naturally to all Jedi who complete their training?” Kaina Tsutsumi asks with a chuckle, holding her helmet under her arm. 

“It comes naturally,” Toshinori plays along. “It’s lovely seeing you Nagant-“ Toshinori covers his mouth in embarrassment. “Apologies for using your codename on stealth missions, old habits die hard, I’m sure you understand.”

“I do,” Nagant replies, amused by Toshinori’s social fopaux. “At least some of our code names were subtle, unlike others I know. Wouldn’t you agree, All Might?” 

“Fine, yes, yes.” Toshinori laughs, waving her off. “I guess I deserved that. What brings you here?”

“Just doing my rounds…and after seeing you, someone wanted to say hello.” 

Before either of them could stop her, the shorter temple guard bursts past Toshinori, pulling both Izuku and Ochako into a bone-crushing hug. “How are you both?! I missed you so much since you’ve been off-world!” Himiko Toga rips off her mask to get a proper look at the padawans. “Have you both grown?! Oh my gosh you have! How do you keep getting cuter!-“

“Himi…” Kaina warns, but you wouldn’t be able to tell from the smile on her face. 

Toshinori smiles sadly. Himiko always seemed like a nice girl, if not excessive at times, even if she is only a year older than the teens she’s hugging. But her emotions gave her a deep connection with the force, and her skill with a lightsaber isn’t to be questioned. Unfortunately, her inability to let go of her attachments is ultimately what led to her training to be a temple guard instead of a Jedi knight. 

Much the same with Kaina. Members of the council never did reveal to him the kind of missions they had her go on, but whatever it was led to her becoming disillusioned with the order as well. Thankfully for both girls, Chancellor Palpatine had spoken up for both of them when they had considered leaving the order, and while the council wouldn’t allow either to continue training as a Jedi, they did allow them to continue as temple guards. Kaina rose quickly through the ranks to become the lead guard.  

“Come Himiko, we have security matters to attend to. And I need to test you once again on raising and lowering ray shields.”

Quickly ducking behind Izuku and Ochako, Himiko shoved them together at the side. “Quick, save me! Pretend I’m not even here!”

“Izuku, did you hear something?” Ochako asks.

“Can’t say that I did.” He looks around them. “No one here besides us. Well, we better get to that training!” He begins to walk away, Ochako still attached to his hip with Himiko hidden behind them.

“That’s right!” The brown-haired girl next to him agrees. “Because we are disciplined and always excited to learn!”

“Is that why the three of you skipped lessons that one time to go race speeder bikes down at level 1313?” Kaina places her hands on her hips, giving the kids a pointed look. Toshinori sighs, that had been a day to remember for sure. 

“In our defense, it wasn’t just us!” Izuku defends. “Denki, Mina, Ahsoka, Caleb, and Toru were all there too-“

“And that makes what you did okay?” Toshinori crosses his arms. 

“At least we won?” Ochako tries. 

It doesn’t work. 

Both adults let out a tired exhale. “Just please return my student…” Kaina asks, exhaustion evident in her voice. Toshinori can’t help but snort. Yeah, try dealing with these two on a near daily basis. He sometimes considered letting Master Torino have a go at teaching the kids, but not even Toshinori is that cruel. 

“Fiiiine, I’ll go,” Himiko says in defeat, straightening. 

“It was great seeing you, Himiko. Maybe we can catch up tonight after training?” Izuku looks at Ochako who nods in agreement. 

“I’d love that!” Himiko squeals. “You’d have to tell me all about your latest adventures! Who you met, whose butt you kicked…” she says the next part very quickly. “If you figured out yet that you two should leave the order so you can finally be together-“

“WHAT?!” Both Izuku and Ochako’s faces explode into blushes as they wave their hands frantically in front of them. “What are you talking about?!-“

“Yeah, we don’t have thoughts like that-“

“Don’t be crazy-“

Himiko leans in close to the both of them, a wide grin on her face. “Says the pair who uses any spar as a chance to touch each other- ow!”

“That’s enough out of you!” Kaina begins to drag Himiko away by the ear. 

“Let go of me you old hag! You know when it comes to love, I know what I’m talking about! The order just isn’t ready to listen!”

“Now is not the time!”

“Fine! Then I’ll come in the next time you’re feeding the sarlacc!”

“Don’t you dare try to speak to me while I’m on the toilet!”

Toshinori shakes his head fondly at the commotion before turning back to the kids. “Shall we press on?” At the sight of them trying to cool down their faces and making every effort to not look at one another, Toshinori finishes with, “uh, when you’re ready?”

“Master Yagi…you have to give us some warning when you’re taking us to do this kind of exercise!” Izuku complains. He tries to rub some of the sweat on his palms using his robes. He stands back to back with Ochako, both in ready position with their unignited lightsabers in their hands. 

“As a teacher, I have to make sure my students are ready for anything, and being spontaneous is an excellent way of doing so.” The man doesn’t sound sorry in the slightest. Izuku doesn’t know how, but he’ll find some way to make him pay for this. “Besides, you have asked in the past for me to implement some of Master Skywalker’s teaching methods.”

“Not this one!” Izuku and Ochako yell together. They stand in one of the temple's outdoor areas, surrounded in a circle by almost a dozen clones, with their blasters all trained on them. Ahsoka had told them the horrors of this exercise when they were younger and thankfully, Toshinori and Ryuko hadn’t made them attempt it nearly as many times as the other padawan, but each time they did is certainly burned into their memories. 

“Are all of your men’s blasters set to stun?” Toshinori asks the clone next to him.

“Yes, General Yagi,” Captain Howzer responds. 

“Very well, begin!”

The firing doesn’t begin immediately, and Izuku always hated that. The anticipation. The anxiety of trying to anticipate where the first shot will- there’s a shot! Letting the force guide him, Izuku spins to the right, blocking the circular blue stun bolt. Ochako also blocks the first attempt at her behind him. 

Neither know how long the exercise goes on for. Slowly but surely, the clones begin to pick up the pace in firing, the blue rings coming at them faster and faster. They’re blocking so many now. Too many to count. Izuku’s mind doesn’t even bother trying to keep up. He lets the force and his instincts take over until-

Ochako yells behind him, going down after being stunned. His concentration slips for a moment in worry and that’s all it takes. A blue ring hits him and everything goes black. 

“You make us prouder each day.”

Izuku sits up fast, too fast. He grabs his head in pain, trying not to lose the image of the woman in his head he had seen talking to him. It isn’t the first time he’s seen her, nor does he doubt it’ll be the last. Izuku looks down at his lightsaber. 

Ever since Master Yagi had passed down his Kyber Crystal to him, making him the ninth to wield it, Izuku had been experiencing a weird phenomenon. Seeing people who aren’t there sometimes, getting advice on his forms and technique from voices. He still doesn’t understand what’s going on, just that it has something to do with his master’s- he means, his crystal. 

Around him, clones check on him and Ochako, offering them water. “Sorry about that, Commander Midoriya,” one of the clones apologizes while helping him slowly rise. 

“You’re fine.” Izuku rubs his head some more, already feeling the haziness start to lift. “And I know you enjoy that on some level,” he snarks. “Who won the betting pool this time?”

The clone sighs. “Knot won tonight’s pool.”

A clone in the distance waves at him. “Sorry, Commander!”

“You’re getting better, kid.” Captain Howzer walks over, removing his helmet, light-colored skin, slicked back blond hair, and gray-blue eyes stare back at Izuku with a smirk. “Next time, I might even join the boys for a crack at ya. I’ll try not to knock you too quick.”

Izuku meets the man’s challenge head on. He often wonders if the clone's donor, Jin Bubaigawara, was anything like Howzer. But he’ll probably never know since Master Takami killed the bounty hunter during the first battle of Geonosis. Although, the Jedi was always very tight-lipped about what happened during that interaction, refusing to ever actually say he killed the man. Something Izuku always found strange. 

Looking up at the clone, Izuku chirps back, “you know, that’s a lot of sass for your superior officer.”

“Heh, grow a couple of inches Commander and we’ll talk about that.” 

Izuku puffs out his cheeks before feeling Ochako tug him back, pulling him away from the clones while they talk to Toshinori about the results of the training. 

“Nice work today, kid.” The clone Blyze gives him a high-five, which Izuku returns enthusiastically, along with a fist bump to Ark, who messes with his hair while following his brothers back into formation. Izuku waves back at the clones, with Havoc shooting him some finger guns before laughing. 

“What do you think will happen to them?” Izuku turns to Ochako, who had been watching the clones as well. At his questioning gaze, she elaborates. “After the war, what do you think will happen to them? I know it’s what they were made for, but the Republic isn’t just gonna throw them away, are they?”

“They can’t!” Izuku vehemently disagrees. The pair lean against a Temple railing, the view behind them overlooking the constantly alive Coruscant and nearly set sun. “They’ve done so much for us! I’ve talked to Anakin, and he says Chancellor Palpatine is a really nice guy, so I bet they’ll let most of them keep their jobs or give them homes once the war is over.”

“I hope so.” Ochako looks down, biting her lip. It’s clear she has more to say, but Izuku doesn’t rush her. “Do you ever think about the things Himiko says?” 

Feeling his face heat up and looking away, while forcing his thoughts to not dwell on any of those emotions, Izuku responds, his voice a few octaves higher than normal. “What things exactly?”

“How it’s okay to have attachments, even though the order says that as Jedi, we can’t.” Ochako lets her full weight rest against the railing, looking up at the dark sky. “How we shouldn’t be ashamed for loving others.”

Izuku sobers up almost instantly, realizing what Ochako is talking about. Chastising himself for letting his teenage hormones so easily dictate him, he peers back at his best friend. “You’re talking about your parents.”

Ochako nods. “Yeah. And I’ve tried, Izuku, I’ve tried so hard. I’ve gotten lectures from Master Ryuko and Master Yoda about how I should ‘let go of everything I fear to lose,’ but how can I do that when it’s that worry for my parents that’s driving me to train harder, to study more, to be the best Jedi I can be! Even better than you! And you’re amazing!” He coughs; it doesn’t seem like Ochako registers what she just said. 

“I can’t just live the high life here at the temple,” she gestures to the tall structure next to them, “and be comfortable while knowing that halfway across the galaxy, the Techno Union has practically made my parents into slaves for them. I love them, and I know Master Ryuko and all of them probably mean the best but-“

She stops to take a breath when she feels Izuku lightly bump into her, giving her a small smile while sticking close. Ochako sighs. “I’m sorry for just dumping all of this on you; just seeing Himiko earlier brought a lot of these feelings back, and as bad as it sounds, the battles were always good for distracting me from them. But with the war ending soon…it all just came rushing back…” she looks down, ashamed. 

“I don’t think it’s weird.” Ochako looks up, stunned momentarily. Izuku is in the same position she was previously in, staring up at the sky as night progressed. “I can still remember my mom pretty clearly. And I might be worse than you but…” he scratches his cheek. “I never even tried to let her go.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Izuku confirms, shifting a bit as the air got chilly. “Master Yagi is a bit…different than most Jedi masters. He never discouraged me from letting go of my attachments. He more… he more taught me to not let those negative emotions control me. Guilt and fear? I could still feel them, but I shouldn’t base my decisions off of them.”

“Wait…” Ochako’s eyes widen. “So we don’t have to let go? We can just do that? I can still love my parents…yeah, it’s so simple! It makes so much sense! How come none of the other masters are teaching that?!”

Izuku rubs the back of his head, embarrassed. “I don’t know? But I’m glad I could help?”

“Yeah!” Ochako gives him a thumbs up. “You don’t understand, this has been bothering me for so long, but if Master Yagi says it’s possible, it has to be! We can become Jedi who both help people in trouble and form attachments with-“ she turns back to Izuku and stops. Bright green eyes peeking from under soft untamed hair watch her reaction with a mixture of joy and relief. His soft smile lifts her spirits even more, causing her stomach to somersault inside her. 

Ochako turns her head away quickly, her face heating up as she curses her stupid teenage hormones. “Anyone,” she finishes in a whisper. “We could form attachments with anyone…”

“I guess we could.” Izuku cups his chin, oblivious. “But we’d probably still have to convince some of the other masters. I’m sure your master would work with us, but what about the others? I nominate you to talk to Master Aizawa.”

“Hey!” Ochako whirls around, not all the red gone from her face. “No fair! If I get him, then you have to do Master Windu!”

“Oh, c’mon!”

“You heard me!”

Izuku laughs, which causes Ochako to do the same, the two moving closer together unconsciously to keep warm in the chilly air. “Speaking of Master Windu,” Ochako wonders. “I haven’t heard from my master in a while, I hope everything’s going okay?”

“They’re probably at the senate building for some boring meeting about budgets.”

Ryuko strides confidently down the hall, her robes billowing behind her. Several master Jedi walk beside her, including Kit Fisto and Vlad King, as he liked to be known. And in front of them leading the way, Mace Windu is a man on a mission. 

The doors open to the spacious office of Chancellor Palpatine, with the man himself shutting down a report in front of him and turning around in his chair to greet them. “Master Windu, I take it General Grievous has been destroyed.” He pauses. “I must say, you’re here sooner than expected.”

“In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic,” Windu reaches into his robes, and Ryuko does the same. “You’re under arrest, Chancellor.” They all ignite their lightsabers at the same time, standing at the ready. 

“Are you threatening me, Master Jedi?”

“The Senate will decide your fate.”

“I am the Senate.”

“Are you cold?” Ochako asks, moving even closer to Izuku than usual.

“A little.” He looks down at her worried. “Are you okay?”

Ochako looks down at her hand. It’s shivering. “I’m not sure? I feel… off I guess? But I’m not sure why. All I know is something doesn’t feel right.” Before Izuku can prod her further, there’s a strange gasp of pain over by the clones. 

Forgetting themselves, Izuku and Ochako run into the middle of the group of clones to find Toshinori grabbing his head in pain, all of the clones looking at each other, confused. “Master!” Izuku is immediately at his side, helping him stay on his feet, while Ochako does the same from the opposite end. “Are you alright?”

“I…” Toshinori starts to regain his footing. “I’m not…”

There’s the sound of a communicator clicking. Amongst the crowd of clones surrounding them, Captain Howzer removes his from his belt and clicks it on, a robed figure flickering to life. 

That’s when it hits Izuku. The cold. It’s as if all warmth and comfort leave him instantly, but not just leave him, it feels like he can never feel them again. It’s as if happiness had ceased to exist, leaving only fear, anger, and hate in its place. 

The robed figure speaks. “Captain Howzer, it is time.”

The cold reaches around Izuku’s throat, suffocating him. 

“Execute Order 66.” 

Chapter Text

Mirio Togata strains to keep his ever-present smile on his face, trying not to let his worry bleed through. Though the blond can tell Tamaki and Nejire appreciate his efforts, they feel it too. 

Something has happened. Something bad. 

The Force has never felt this way to the young man before. It’s as if the mystical power that has aided him for so long is suddenly pushing back on his every attempt to use it, making even the simplest usages significantly more difficult, much less trying to figure out why he feels so much dread wiggling and settling in his bones. Or why he feels so cold. 

The three Jedi Knights stand guard at the entrance of the temple. While Mirio isn’t sure why he’s so uneasy, that doesn’t mean the Order’s many padawans and younglings have to feel the same way. Mirio makes sure to brighten his smile as much as he can whenever they see one of the kids running by, so they don’t know anything is wrong. 

If they can feel how disturbed the force has become, there is no doubt the masters can too. Mirio hopes they can find out what happened when one of them arrives at the temple, or at the very least, find a way to be more helpful. 

Not for the first time, Mirio closes his eyes, wishing his Master Sasaki was here. It always seemed like when everyone was lost around him, he’d always know what to do, his precognition skills in the force unmatched by any other. 

That, and he always seemed to know what to say to quell Mirio’s worry in these types of situations. But just because he’s gone doesn’t mean the lessons he imparted onto the young Jedi are! His smile becomes just a little more genuine at that thought.

“My stomach hurts…” Tamaki quietly complains, placing a hand over his midsection. Though Mirio doesn’t think it has anything to do with his strange diet. Nejire nods, biting her lower lip in worry. Usually she’s a chatterbox who can’t be stopped but right now, Mirio would give anything to hear her launch into an avalanche of questions. 

So breaking out his best grin, the blond stands tall, gathering his friend’s attention. “Hey, do either of you know where Master Skywalker got his cybernetic hand?”

“Uh…” Tamaki looks lost, glancing at Nejire for help, but she doesn’t look any better. 

“I’ve asked him before but he never told me!!” she adds. 

“I guess a medical station here on Coruscant?” Tamaki answers, unsure and confused over the question. “Why?”

“Nope! Try again!”

When the other two teens shrug, Nejire hops up. “No idea? Where did he get his cybernetic hand?”

“At the second hand store!” Mirio answers playfully, completing the punchline. It takes all of two seconds for his response to process before Nejire breaks, laughing over herself. Tamaki attempts to both look disappointed and hold his own smile in. 

“Mirai couldn’t have told it better himself, Mirio.”

The blond roughly grabs his friend’s shoulder, causing Tamaki to stumble momentarily. “Just trying every day to make my mentor proud! And you guys looked like you had just been thrown in a trash compactor! Couldn’t leave you that way!”

“That’s big talk!” Nejire giggles. “Especially from a guy who smelled like garbage for a week after his mission to Bracca!”

“I took like two showers a day! What else did you want me to do?!” Mirio tries to defend himself. 

“Stay far away from us!” Nejire sticks her tongue out at him, causing another fit of laughter from the trio. It’s almost enough to make them forget about the lingering worry they feel. It’s almost enough to make them feel like it’s any other night at the temple, just being there to help the younglings and the next generation of Jedi be the best they can be. But it’s not. 

A bang! behind them makes the three Jedi Knights jump as the large doors to the temple creak open. Mirio only catches a glimpse of the outside. It’s dark, with thunder roaring in the distance to signal the coming storm. He doesn’t get much more of a look before the door shuts, allowing a lone hooded figure inside. 

Relief immediately floods Mirio’s system as he recognizes who it is. Out of the corner of his eye, he can see both of his friends also sigh, comforted by who has just entered the temple. They may not currently be on a battlefield, but when Anakin Skywalker enters a room, he always gives you the sense everything’s going to be alright, no matter the odds. 

“Anakin! Boy, am I glad to see you!” Mirio greets with a wave, jogging over to the young man with a large smile on his face. At first, Anakin’s shoulders are hunched, head down to peer at his dark Jedi robes, the hood making it impossible to fully make out his face. “Is everything alright?”

When Anakin looks up, his shining blue eyes people had often compared to Mirio’s own are dull, almost appearing gray under the dark hood. And when they look at him, it’s as if Anakin is staring at a stranger. “Where is Master Nemuri Kayama?”

“Oh.” Mirio is taken aback slightly at his question being answered with another, but he recovers quickly. “The Meditation Chambers. She felt something wrong in the force, we all did, so she went to see if she could find any answers.” Mirio swallows, nervous. “Did something happen?”

Anakin doesn’t answer, instead choosing to observe their surroundings, his eyes darting all around them, his brain clearly working at a speed Mirio couldn’t be sure of. The large temple doors behind Anakin creak once again, and the blond looks past him, expecting to see more Jedi, but as the doors slowly open, all Mirio sees are clones. Hundreds. Thousands. Maybe more. Just endless rows of the faithful soldiers of the Republic. 

“Anakin?” Mirio asks once again. “Something did happen, didn’t it? Something bad? Whatever it is-“ The next thing Mirio feels is the emitter of a lightsaber under his chin. The next thing he hears is the sound of a blue plasma blade igniting through his head and up his skull, bursting from the top of his head. 

“You have no idea.” The cool response from Anakin is the last thing Mirio knows before the lightsaber finishes burning his life away, leaving his body to fall in a heap to the ground. 

“Mirio!” Nejire screeches, covering her mouth, tears already pouring down her face. Tamaki gags, nearly spilling the contents of his stomach right then and there. 

The doors to the temple fully open, allowing the 501st Clone Division access to the grounds, marching ahead of their new Sith Lord. There’s barely any time for both Nejire and Tamaki to activate their lightsabers before they open fire. 

“Circle up now!” 

Master Toshi’s voice is more pained than Ochako had ever heard before, but she doesn’t question it. Forcing what feels like frozen limbs to move, she pulls the older Jedi in between her and Izuku, igniting her blue lightsaber just as the blaster fire starts. 

There’s no time to think, no time to wonder why the men she had known for years are shooting at her. There is only instinct and the force to guide her. With no time to glance back at Izuku or Toshinori, Ochako can only deflect every bolt headed her way somewhere, anywhere, else. It doesn’t even cross her mind to attempt to redirect them back at the soldiers, she just knows she wants those bolts away from them. 

But there’s too many. Ochako can’t tell if the terror and confusion flowing through her is her own, or Izuku’s, but either way, it is making it hard to breathe, hard to think. The cold she had previously fought through just to move is creeping up her arms faster and faster. No, no! Ochako can feel herself slowing down already!

How long has it been? Seconds? Minutes? Hours? Is that why she is slowing? Is she tired? Ochako doesn’t think so but she can’t think! She can’t feel! Her head is just swimming, disoriented from everything that’s happened so fast. Her vision can see nothing but blue blaster fire until-

Her reaction is too slow. Ochako's upper arm burns when one of the bolts hits it. She cries out but doesn’t dare stop. It isn’t the first time she has been hit over the course of the war and probably won’t be the last. But if she was slow before, to Ochako, it’s like she’s moving at the speed of a glacier now. She doesn’t know how much longer this can last. 

Then, it happens. Toshinori straightens. The look on his face is one of pure focus as he grits his teeth and yells, “SMAAAAAASH!!” He slams his palm into the ground using his battle cry, a wave of blue energy exploding out from the trio, knocking all of the clones off their feet. “Move!!”

Well, Ochako doesn’t need to be told twice, taking off on the heels of the Jedi master with Izuku beside her. 

“They’re heading to one of the Temple Guard stations, cut them off!” Howzer yells into the comms on his wrist, before getting back onto his feet. “Go, go! Keep firing! Keep the pressure on! Don’t let them think! Surround them on all sides! You two!” He points to two clones who stand at attention. “Climb. Get high. Don’t let them escape by getting above. Remember how far Jedi can jump, go!”

Maybe it’s all of the missions or training together, but neither Ochako nor Izuku have to look at one another to decide to cover Toshinori’s back as they run for cover, the pair deflecting blaster bolts as they reach them, thankfully at a much more manageable rate now. 

Two clones emerge from the doorway they’re attempting to make their way to, but before they can raise their blasters, Toshinori pins them to the ground with the force. “Get inside! Go, go!”

Toshinori turns, finally activating his crossguard lightsaber, its yellow color shining brilliantly over them. He uses it to effortlessly deflect every shot taken at them. A few clones attempt to apprehend him but Izuku’s master cuts all of their blasters in half with a single stroke. And with a mighty push by the force, they’re sent careening back into their fellow soldiers, toppling over many more and leaving them dazed on the ground. 

Satisfied, he turns off his saber and runs inside with them, shutting the door, but when he moves to the control panel to lock it, he pounds his fist against the wall in frustration. “Shit!” Despite the situation, both Ochako and Izuku jump at the outburst. Not used to seeing him so openly upset. “They sabotaged the door. I can fix it with my override codes but it’s going to take a minute-“

“You got it!”

Ochako can’t fully process what’s happening before Izuku shoves past them and goes outside, using the force to close the door behind him. The control panel beeps and clarity hits Ochako more than any of the recent blasters had. 

Izuku had just gone outside to keep all of the clones back. 

By himself. 

…Shit!!

“Master Yagi, the door?!” Ochako cries, trying to pry it open with both her hands and the force, but with no success. 

“I know, I know!!” The Jedi’s thumbs are a blur across the panel screen. “I just need a few more seconds and I’ll have control-“

“He doesn’t have that!!” Ochako rips her lightsaber back out, turning it on. She knows if she cuts it open, there will be no way to hide from the clones, but there is no way in hell she’s leaving her best friend out there to die! 

She raises her arms, but Master Toshi’s codes reopen the door, just in time for her to watch Izuku scream in pain, a blaster bolt striking him in the leg, causing the green-haired boy to drop to the ground. The clones angle their blasters downward and Ochako moves, her mind and body only screaming one thing: ‘No!’ 

Growing up, younglings are taught the force can often express their feelings for them, projecting them outward as a physical manifestation, even without them meaning to. That’s why it’s so important for them not to use it with anger or hate in their hearts. Ochako has never been sure how exactly that works but believed her masters all the same. At least, she wasn’t sure until today. 

With the overwhelming need to protect Izuku flooding her system, she steps over him and throws her hands forward, screaming as the force erupts from her hands in the form of a barrier made of bright blue energy. One that protects the pair from the onslaught of blaster fire. 

Ochako only has moments to be dazzled by the shield as it absorbs the bolts, before she feels a tug on the back of her robes, realizing too late that Toshi is using the force to pull her and Izuku back through the doors, the two teens landing roughly inside as the door shuts behind them, hissing as it locks, leaving them to listen to the sound of blaster fire in the dark. 

“I thought you said this was the faster way?!” Hitoshi screams over his shoulder as he and Fumikage desperately block as many bolts as they can, standing at the end of a dark hallway where the only light comes from their lightsabers and the rain of blaster fire coming at them from the other end of the hall. 

“It is!” Mina stresses, messing with the wires of an exposed control panel behind them. “Just give me-“ she ducks as stray blaster fire nearly hits her, “just give me a second! The elevator’s coming!”

Fumikage nods determinedly. “We will endeavor to do so!” His purple blade slices through the air, reinvigorated. “While we may not know why our former comrades are behaving as droids, there must be-“

He’s cut off when another door off to their side opens and Hitoshi’s heart practically stops as they see Yo Shindo and Tatami Nakagami backing away as they block blaster fire from another platoon of clone troopers firing upon them. But just then, they hear a surge of power as Mina finishes her work behind them, the door to the elevator sliding open, waiting for them. 

“Go!” Yo yells, waving them off. “We’ll hold them-“ he doesn’t even have a chance to try and be a hero for them before he’s gunned down, his body left smoking on the ground from all of the blaster fire pumped into him. Tatami calls out to him before meeting the same fate. 

“Run!!”

Hitoshi isn’t sure who screamed but it doesn’t matter before they’re all booking it to the lift, swinging their sabers behind them to try and stop from getting hit.

And it works. 

For most of them. 

He jumps into the lift with Mina, but just as Fumikage is about to cross the threshold, he gasps and Hitoshi’s veins go ice cold. He watches in slow-motion as Fumikage’s lightsaber clatters to the floor, the teen putting a hand to his chest to feel where he had been shot. “I…” 

Like everyone else, Fumikage isn’t afforded the decency of finishing his final thought before he is gunned down as well, his body hitting the ground with an unsatisfying thud. It’s as if he was a sack of food, or a crate, or literally anything else other than a person. A person Hitoshi had known for most of his life, now gone without a second to think about it. No time to shake his hand or say goodbye, just gone. 

Mina screams as Hitoshi punches the button to the elevator, barely able to see through his teary eyes as the doors shut, shielding them from the clones and the stares of the friends they were leaving behind, taking them far away. 

“We need to go back!!” Mina screeches, grabbing the front of his robes, and attempting to move him out of the way to get to the control panel. “We can’t just leave Fumi there, we have to- he needs us!!”

“He’s gone!!” Hitoshi’s voice is scratchy and every word is agonizing for him to say. Mainly because he wants to be like Mina. He wants to believe what they just saw was a lie. That Fumikage has somehow miraculously survived his injuries and is waiting down there for them to save him. But no, he isn’t. 

His Master Shota always preached logic and Hitoshi has always revered him for that. Because it was logic that kept them alive in every battle. It was logic that surrounded every victory, every planet liberated. But right now, Hitoshi curses its existence because it’s telling him his friend is dead. And somehow, saying it out loud is like admitting to it. 

“But…but….” Mina’s face is scrunched up in pain as tears flood from her eyes. Pushing past his introverted tendencies, Hitoshi pulls Mina into a hug, letting her use the brief elevator ride to cry out her feelings before they would be thrust back into whatever this nightmare is. 

And if he needed that time to cry too, she doesn’t mention it.

Nemuri’s head twitches as she feels someone enter the meditation chamber with her. It’s not surprising she’s on edge at the moment; the living force has no doubt been thrown into chaos, since even before this raid on the temple. 

But Master Jedi such as Nemuri would know that. Being so in-tune with the force, they could feel the coming storm. So she locked herself away in the meditation chambers. Perfect for freeing herself from distractions, since only Jedi Knights can access the chambers, which are soundproof, ensuring those on the inside are sheltered from whatever is happening on the outside. 

“What is it, Skywalker?” she asks him, keeping her eyes closed and with a tone that obviously wanted to keep the conversation short so she could get back to trying to figure out what was happening inside the force. 

Well, if she is so eager to get right to the point, then who is Vader to deny her?

Without any more delay, he presses his lightsaber hilt against her back, igniting it before Nemuri can react. The blue of the blade shines briefly, protruding from Nemuri’s chest before Vader deactivates it, watching passively as her body topples over, landing in an awkward position between the multiple cushions of the chamber. 

Taking one last sweep around the room to double confirm no one else is hiding there, Vader strides out of the room, the first set of doors closing behind him before a second set opens, letting in the sounds of battle. 

Below him, hundreds of clones gun down Jedi in one of the largest halls of the temple. The giant and ornate statues of great Jedi of the past look down on the death and destruction.. As if they are gods, watching with no sympathy as everything they have built, their legacy, is destroyed right at their feet. 

Vader would laugh if it wasn’t all so pathetic. 

He continues to march through the battlefield, uncaring. The clones could handle the padawan and low-level knights here. He is needed elsewhere. Afterall, it’s like one of the sayings Master Qui-Gon used to use, or so he was told. There’s always a bigger fish. 

Shouting off to his side catches Vader’s attention as a group of half-dozen Jedi run into the fray, cutting down the few clones that stand in their way with ease, looking to swing the tide of battle. Vader peers back at his clones still fighting behind him, who had yet to notice the new arrivals. Well, since he’s already here…

Vader briefly activates his saber again, using it to cut the legs of the closest statue to him before reaching out with the force and grabbing hold of the giant structure. The new Jedi arrivals notice too late, screaming as he brings the reminder of the old order down on top of them, the ground quaking fiercely with the impact. 

He waves his hand, clearing out the smoke to find the statue in rubble, blood pooling out from underneath the rocks, and to his surprise, a survivor, their body half crushed by the debris. 

Oboro Shirakumo looks up at him, one eye sealed shut as he coughs up blood, his cracked goggles barely hanging on. “Anakin…why?”

His dreams, no, his nightmares of Padme dying at childbirth screech in his head, making his ears ring. Reminding him exactly why he needs to do this. His new master’s words echo in his head. Show no mercy. Do not hesitate. He waves over a squadron of clone troopers to his position and points to Shirakumo, before leaving without a word. 

“Anakin, wait! Hey, we-“ Vader doesn’t turn around as he hears the sound of blaster fire, leaving the area. He had more important things to do. Like ensuring every Jedi in the galaxy would return here to meet their fate. 

Izuku hisses as Ochako wraps the ointment-covered bandage around his leg. “Ah…” he pants, before sighing in relief as he feels the burns and pain drain away. In the corner, Toshinori tries desperately to get anyone over comms to try and figure out what’s happening and to coordinate rescue. He hadn’t heard from anyone yet. 

“Captain Howzer!”

The occupants freeze, listening intently to the voices outside. The clones have given up getting to them until heavier equipment is delivered. Has it arrived?

“I have Captain Appo on the line, sir. Says Lord Vader and the 501st are taking command of the operation and you are to report to him immediately.”

“What about the Jedi we have trapped?”

“There are a couple of troopers with some RPS launchers on the way. They’ll finish the job.”

“I think that’s our cue to leave.” Toshinori grabs a few med-packs and other small supplies from around the guard’s room, sticking whatever he can get into the pouches of his belt. “Where on Earth are the Temple Guards?… They should’ve come running as soon as the fighting started.”

“I hope Himi is okay…” Ochako says worriedly, before wincing as Izuku wraps a bandage over her arm. 

“Sorry! Almost got it…”

“What you should be apologizing for is that stunt you just pulled.” Ochako glares, taking full advantage of their faces having to be so close as he helps her. “I mean, seriously, what were you thinking?! It’s one thing when you pull this kind of stuff against droids, but this-“

“That’s why I did it!” Izuku stresses, finishing up his friend’s bandage and lowering her arm, backing up a step. “Ochako, I-I have no idea what’s going on! We were making food over a campfire with them a week ago and now the clones are trying to kill us?! My head is spinning, so I’m doing the only thing I know-“

“Getting yourself killed won’t help us get answers! Or get out alive!” Ochako counters, moving up a step as Izuku tries to back away from her. “I- we need you. So, please, I know that you not being a dummy is as easy as dunking a Mon Calamari, but can you please try?”

“Young Izuku, I know I have told you in the past that nothing is nobler than self-sacrifice, but you must think about your overall situation. Would we truly be safe if you were gone?”

“I…” Izuku swallows, feeling his heartbeat in his ears. The adrenaline had gone down maybe a little but not nearly enough. It probably doesn’t help that he is terrified. Sure, they had all been in plenty of life threatening situations before, but never something like this!

It had always been so simple. Clones are the good guys, and droids are bad. Izuku had never even had to think about who was his enemy and who wasn’t, but now? Is it just these clones? Were there more? How would they even be able to tell? And what about the Jedi? Have more betrayed them like Barriss? How many people are in on this, what is going on?!

“I don’t know what’s real…” Izuku finally says. He’s confused, overwhelmed, and feeling so many things at once that if he tried listing them off, the clones would get into the room long before he was done. 

He feels Ochako grab his forearms tightly. “I am. I’m still real and right by your side. So is Master Yagi, so please, you stay with us too?” She surprises him with a hug. Not that it was the first time they had hugged, he just hadn’t been expecting one at that moment. “Sorry…just needed this real quick.”

Izuku doesn’t need any more invitation to hug her back just as tightly. “Sorry…I’m so sorry. I’m not going anywhere, I promise.”

“You better.” Ochako buries her face into his robes. “And you don’t have to apologize so much.” 

“But…you said sorry for hugging me?”

“Shut it, mister, we’re having a moment.”

“As sweet as you two are, I believe neither of you want to be here when the clones find a way in, do you?” Toshinori grins, moving one of the cases of explosives out of the way to reveal a number pad. “There you are!”

“What is that?” Ochako asks, her and Izuku separating. 

“You see children, the Jedi Temple has multiple secret tunnels located throughout to allow Temple Guards to get to where they need to go both quickly and unseen. And luckily for us,” there’s a click as he enters the passcode, a hidden door opening, “Kaina happened to tell me the code for one of them. Come, we can enter the main Temple this way and find a way out.”

Lightsabers clash briefly, before there’s a shout of surprise. 

“You guys scared the shit out of me?!” Kyoka cries, deactivating her saber from where she had attacked Hitoshi and pulling him and Mina into the room she had been hiding in. 

“We scared you?!” Hitoshi responds incredulously, before putting his own weapon away. “We thought you were more clones sneaking up on us?!” He pinches his nose. “I didn’t get enough sleep to be dealing with any of this right now…”

“You never do,” Kyoka snarks before a relieved squeal pulls their attention to Toru as she pulls Mina into the tightest hug she could, her usually bright green hair a mess. Not that Mina seemed to mind. “Is it just you two?”

Hitoshi swallows, his eyebags seemingly getting darker by the second. “Yeah. We had Fumikage with us but he-“ his throat closes, so he continues in a smaller voice, “but he didn’t make it.” He lets Kyoka grieve for a moment, taking the chance to peer around the dark room they were in. 

It’s trashed, to say the least. Any equipment left is far beyond repair as it lies in pieces across the ground. Blaster marks scorched the surfaces and - he grimaces - bodies lie at uncomfortable angles no matter where he looks. 

“Oh…” Kyoka wipes her eyes. “Yeah, that’s- yeah, man. We lost some people too. Shoji was the first…Ojiro soon after-“ Toru lets out a tiny whimper, “I have no idea where Aoyama went and just so many more…I don’t know where anyone else is. Oh! Except for Denki…” she trails off, looking behind her. 

Hitoshi follows her gaze until he finds the blond, or better yet, his outline, sitting on the ground with his back to the wall with something in his lap. He walks up, about to ask his friend what he has when he sees it. The guy’s usually stylized hair is a mess, golden eyes dark, and being cradled in his arms is Hanta Sero. 

A dead Sero. 

Hitoshi looks back at Kyoka, but she just shakes her head, looking away. “Denki,” he whispers, kneeling down and grabbing the other boy’s shoulder. His friend doesn’t look up. “Hey-“

“He took a blaster shot for me.” Denki’s voice sounds far away, so somber and- Hitoshi shuts his thoughts down, trying to stop himself from thinking it due to Sero, but the word comes to his head anyway. Unwanted but accurate. Denki’s voice is somber and lifeless. “We were just talking about our plans for tonight.” He chuckles but there’s no humor in it. “We were going to take a ship from the Temple’s hangar for a joyride, test out that beefed up security ever since the bombing. And that’s when we heard the blaster fire…”

Denki sniffles. “I should be dead.”

“No.” Hitoshi forces the boy to look at him. “Don’t say that, don’t even think it! Do you think that’s what Hanta would’ve wanted?” He winces a bit at his own words, Hitoshi recognizing it’s probably a bit harsh, but if they want to get out of here alive, they all have to be at the top of their game. 

Denki scoffs, shaking his hand off. “I guess we’ll never know, huh? Because he went ahead and sacrificed himself for my dumbass-“

“Denki!”

“Don’t ‘Denki’ me,” he snaps at Kyoka, carefully setting Sero on the ground and getting to his feet. “Just admit it, you’d all rather have him here than me! Say it!”

“I’d want both of you here…” Mina trails off. 

“That’s the survivor’s guilt talking,” Hitoshi grimaces. 

“Stop pretending you’re smarter than everyone just because-“

“Over here!” Not even being in the middle of the meltdown can keep Denki talking as they hear the voices of clones from outside the door, trying to get in. “There are Jedi in here. Get this door open, trooper! On the double!”

“Yes, sir!”

Denki immediately grabs Mina and Toru and puts them behind him along with Kyoka and Hitoshi as he grabs his lightsaber. A motion they all repeat. “Why can’t they just leave us alone?” Toru whimpers. 

“Charges are placed, sir! Preparing to breach in three…”

Hitoshi frantically searches the room for anything to give them an advantage. Or hell, maybe some sort of vent to climb. But no, there’s nothing. Just a small trashed room with one way in or out. A way that is currently blocked by who knows how many clones. 

“Two…”

Hitoshi pushes past Kyoka to stand up front next to Denki, but she shoves him back, standing next to him. “I don’t need protecting,” she says fiercely, eyes fixed on the door. “Besides, neither of you has ever beaten me in a spar, I trust me more than you.”

Her mouth twitches, and Hitoshi can’t help but feel a little elevated at her light-hearted jab. And judging by Denki’s loosening shoulders, he feels the same. Mina jumps forward as well, followed by Toru. “I’m not letting any of these jerks hurt any more of my friends!”

“One…”

Five lightsabers ignite at once, their low hum matching each other in tune, as if their very weapons are as in sync as their master are in their goals. Survive. Make sure they all survive.

“Bre- wait, what’s that?” They hear blaster fire. “More Jedi! Take them down!” The fight outside is brief, the sounds of lightsabers deflecting blaster bolts and clones screaming overtaking their senses briefly before it’s quiet again, except for the sound of quiet footsteps in the hall. Still, none of them drop their stances, not sure what to-

A lightsaber pierces the door’s controls from the outside and it’s forced open. Hitoshi nearly drops his own lightsaber as he deactivates it, rushing to the door. “Master!” He and his mentor hadn’t shared too many moments of outward affection since Hitoshi had started his training, but he finds right now, at this moment, he doesn’t care as he hugs Shota Aizawa tightly. “You’re okay!”

He doesn’t know if he should be elated or even more scared about their situation when he feels the man pat his head. “You are too. Well done.”

“Kids!” Hizashi Yamada runs past them, checking on the rest of the group. “You’re all…” he touches each of them, as if to check they’re actually there, scanning them to make sure they are all alright. Well, physically at least. “Kyoka…”

“I’m fine, Master,” the purple-haired girl replies stubbornly. “You should check on the others more.” When Hizashi doesn’t take his eyes off her, smiling softly, she hugs him quickly before looking away once again. “It’s really good to see you…”

Hizashi messes with Kyoka’s hair, much to her dismay, before taking a glance around the room, swallowing at their surroundings. “Oh god…”

“Hizashi.” After spending so much time with the man, Hitoshi can tell what his master is saying with minimal words. And it’s clear he’s reminding his fellow Jedi to keep cool, probably not to worry ‘the kids.’ 

Which is ridiculous. Hitoshi and all of his friends stopped being kids the first time they stepped onto a battlefield. 

“Do any of you know where the rest of the padawans and younglings are?” Shota questions, taking command of the group, not that any of them are complaining. 

Denki scoffs. “Probably fighting their way out of the temple and not being an idiot by letting their friends die for them.”

The temperature drops as Shota stares the young teen down. “Hizashi, keep trying to reach Shirakumo,” the black-haired man instructs his colleague, who pulls out his communicator. He steps forward, peering down at Sero, still lying at Denki’s feet. “Is that how he died?” The blond flinches, but stays silent. “Fine. Don’t answer that one. But how about this, would you have done the same for him?”

“Without a second thought- ow!” He rubs the back of his head. “Kyoka!”

Shota and Hizashi turn to her, Kyoka rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment. “Sorry…I don’t know what came over me.”

“Anyway.” Shota shakes his head. “If you had done that for Sero, what would you want him to do?”

“To live, duh!”

“Really?” The Jedi raises an eyebrow. “You wouldn’t prefer that he sit in a room, feeling sorry and degrading himself? You’re saying you’d rather he do everything in his power to live and not let your sacrifice be in vain?”

Denki isn’t looking at anyone at this point. 

“There will be time to mourn later. But if you want there to be a later, you have to calm down and focus. Save as many as you can, including yourself. That’s how you’ll honor Sero and everyone else’s legacy. I know you don’t want to let him down.”

Hitoshi exhales, his breath shaky, with the other teens mirroring him. Shota’s words haven’t just reached Denki, who finally finds the courage to look up, and while he still looks a little uncertain, he nods, some of the color returning in his eyes. “Okay. I- I will try.” To all of their relief, a small smile graces his face. And while it’s not his usual trademark goofy grin, it’s much better than before. “Sorry guys for, uh, losing my cool back there…and for some of the things I said.”

“Water under the bridge, dude,” Kyoka lightly punches him in the shoulder. “Help us get out of here to yell at you later and we’ll call it even.”

“Yeah, sure! Wait-“

Even Hitoshi can’t resist giggling along with the others, feeling better now that his friend is a little bit more like his old self. Of course, having two full-grown Jedi with them helps a lot too. 

Shota nods, his work done, and walks back to Hizashi. “Any luck?”

The exuberant man sighs, running a hand through his hair while letting his arm with the communicator fall. “No. Shirakumo isn’t picking up. I can’t get Kayama, Ishiyama, Kan, Windu, or anyone. And that includes outside the temple too. Our signal’s probably being jammed. Either that or they’re-“ Hizashi stops himself, not even willing to say the other possibility out loud. 

“Then we know our next stop.” Shota turns around. “While we are out there, you are to follow all of our commands to the letter no matter what we say, when we say. You will not deviate from us or leave the group. And you are to assume every clone you encounter is a hostile until either myself, or Hizashi say otherwise. Am I understood?”

“Yes, sir!” They all chorus, but it’s Mina who continues. “Wait, where are we going? Do we have a way out?”

“Not yet.” Shota unclips his lightsaber from his belt, checking the hall. “We will more than likely require help from the outside if we want to get out of here. But no help will come if no one knows what’s happening here.” He looks back. “We’re headed to the Communication Center’s Beacon Room. There, we can send a signal for help.”

“Maybe it’s a parasite?” Izuku looks up to his master, who had started examining the small group of clones their trio had just defeated. “Yeah, that’s it. Like- like from Geonosis!” He bumps Ochako. “Remember that parasite thing that made all the clones go crazy that Ahsoka told us about?”

“Maybe?” She doesn’t look convinced. “But she also said they were more trying to infect her than kill her. These clones haven’t tried infecting us once.”

“Oh…” Izuku replies, disheartened. “I thought maybe if we found out why they were acting this way, we could save some of them…”

“We will try valiantly, young Izuku- ah, here it is.” He separates one of the clones from the others. “However, we cannot save others if we are unable to save ourselves first. And this should certainly help.”

“What are you doing?” Ochako asks. 

“As you both know, our communicators aren’t working, or are being jammed most likely. But the clones are clearly still able to talk to one another on their own frequency.” Toshinori slides the communicator off the clone’s arm, using it to replace his own useless one. “There we are.”

He messes with the settings for a second before sighing. “Looks like we still can’t contact the outside; we’d probably have to find one of the higher-ranking clones for that. But we should still be able to listen in on-“

“Backup is immediately requested at the southwest corridors! I repeat, we need backup immediately!” A clone’s voice rings out of the device. “A pair of Jedi have been eluding us for some time and are starting to pick us off! Again, we are at the-“

“Sir! Look! To the left, there they are!”

“You two go right and cut them off! Hurry! They’re quick!” The communicator also picks up other voices in the background of the transmission. 

“The clones are going around! Double back, Tenya!” 

“Tensei! They’re already behind us!” 

Izuku and Ochako gasp. Toshinori doesn’t need to be told where they want to go next. 

To be fair to himself, Denki hadn’t ever really been to the Temple’s communication center. It’s a place whose access is usually restricted to the Jedi council or high-level knights. So, he wasn’t sure what to expect when Master Aizawa brought them, after thankfully meeting very little clone resistance. 

What he’s met with is a makeshift hospital.

The entrance to the center is a two-story room, with rows of Jedi archives and information cubes covering the walls. Wounded Jedi lay on the floor or against the archives as the Temple’s head of medical care, a little old woman nicknamed ‘Recovery Girl’ tries to tend to as many as she can as a dozen healthier Jedi run around, doing their best to help her. 

Denki is unwilling to admit out loud how happy he is to recognize so many faces. Kendo and Tetsutetsu help wrap up each other’s injuries in a corner. Aoyama rocks back and forth as Koda places a reassuring hand on his shoulder, calming the boy down a little. Ibara leads a prayer circle with Yui and Pony. A trio of Jedi talk quietly amongst each other who Denki is sorry to say, he only knows by their nicknames in the field. Mt Lady, Woods, and Power Arms.

There’s more, but before he can list them off in his head, the conversation between Shota and Sorahiko Torino distracts him.  

“And who would this message of help go out to?” Torino rubs his jaw. “Because based on what’s happening here, I’d say we’re a little short on who we know we can trust at the moment.”

“Anyone. Everyone, I don’t care,” Shota stresses. “Our enemies already know this is happening, but our allies don’t. And the public should be aware we’ve been betrayed before misinformation begins to spread. Can we do that?”

“Theoretically yes, but it would take-“

It’s eerie how quickly such a crowded room can go quiet. But also confusing. Why are they- Denki looks up at the entrance and nearly cries in relief when he sees Anakin Skywalker emerging from the shadows of the hall, his dark robes having blended him in well. He takes a step forward, putting his hand up to wave over the war hero, but Kyoka grabs his arm, almost frantically when he thinks about it. 

He shoots her a quizzical look for a moment, wondering why, but when he looks back at Anakin, the answer starts to creep in. Like a tingling that is burying itself under his skin. Growing more erratic with each step Anakin takes forward as a few of the Jedi back away from him. 

“I want access to the Temple’s signal beacon.” Anakin’s voice isn’t harsh, but Denko can still feel the demand in his tone. The man isn’t asking. 

Torino stands up a bit straighter, walking to the middle of the room and stamping his cane down, resting both of his hands on top, much like Master Yoda does. “Is that right? On whose authority?”

“By order of the Supreme Chancellor.”

Torino seems to give it some thought for a moment, tapping his chin. “Oh, yeah? Did Palpatine also order you to forget your manners while you do it?” he snarks, but Anakin doesn’t bite. “Either way, that is not in the Chancellor’s power, boy. Only the Jedi Council can authorize access.”

Something turns in the conversation, because as soon as the council is mentioned, Anakin’s face morphs from neutral to the nastiest snarl Denki has ever seen on him. What he does next would haunt him for the rest of his life. 

The old Jedi must realize something is about to happen. Torino moves to pull his cane apart, his lightsaber hidden inside, but before he can, Anakin force-pulls him through the air, right to the younger Jedi. 

Or more accurately, Torino is pulled into Anakin’s waiting lightsaber, the old man impaled on the blade before anyone can react. 

All Denki can do is stare, lightsabers igniting all around him, watching as Anakin unceremoniously throws Torino’s body to the side as clones begin to fill the corridor behind him. The tingling inside him grows cold. 

Only one word comes to Denki’s mind when Anakin speaks again. 

Fury.

“The council is no longer in charge!” 

Chapter Text

“They’re coming this way!”

“What are we gonna do?!”

“Oh man oh man oh man-“

“Where’s Master Yoda-“

“I want my mom-“

“Shut up!” The rest of the younglings all quiet down as their de facto leader yells at them, holding up his hand. A patrol of clones is walking by the shipping crate they’re hiding in. 

None of them dare talk. Dare make a sound. Even dare to breathe, hoping to the Force the soldiers pass them by. One of the girls in the back jumps at the sound of a large ‘Bang!’ near them. One of the clones had hit an empty container with the butt of his blaster. 

“Empty,” he concludes, listening to the sound reverberate around the empty box. He motions his head to the other troopers. “Start searching. There’s dozens in this room alone, and we can’t be here all day.”

“Yes, sir!” The clones spread out, leaving their Sergeant to handle that side of the room by himself. He takes a step up to the next box. ‘Bang!’ He smacks it, listening in. 

After a few seconds, he moves to the next crate and repeats the process. 

‘Bang!’ 

Over. 

‘Bang!’ 

And over. 

‘Bang!’ 

Again. 

‘Bang!’ 

Each subsequent hit gets louder and louder as the clone slowly moves toward their crate. The younglings try their best, but most of them are between five to ten years old, so they can’t keep small whimpers from escaping them. Especially as the soldier gets closer. 

‘Bang!’ 

Their leader glances behind him to see most of the kids in tears. 

‘Bang!’ 

He unhooks his lightsaber. The girl next to him grabs his wrist. 

‘Bang!’ 

“What are you doing?!” she whispers sharply under her breath. 

‘Bang!’ 

“I’ll distract him so you all can escape.”

‘Bang!’ 

“You can’t-!”

‘Bang!’ The Clone is right on top of them. The boy grasps the hilt with both of his hands. He senses the clone raising his blaster, about to bring it down on-

“Sergeant? Sergeant, come in! Can you read me?!”

The clone halts what he’s doing, raising his comm up. “I’m reading you.”

“We found a gathering of Jedi at the Temple Communications Array and we need reinforcements! Redirect all of your men to our location now!”

“Yes, sir!” The clone abandons his task, calling out for his fellow soldiers as he runs out of the room. Just as he does, the group of younglings tumble out of the crate. 

“That was close.” Katsuma shivers. 

His sister holds him close. “Has anyone talked to any of the grown-ups yet?” Mahora looks around, desperate for someone to alleviate their fears. To tell them they aren’t alone anymore. 

“No…” Satsuki wipes her eyes. “And I can’t even reach my big sister… I hope Tsu’s okay.” Another youngling pulls her into a hug as she begins to break down again. 

Mahora can barely hold back her own tears. “What about Eri?” she questions, her throat starting to close up in fear. “She- she went to find Grogu. He always has an adult with him, maybe-“

“N-no, no one knows where she is either.” Their unofficial leader turns back. Kota tries to keep a brave face on for the rest of his class. “But we can’t stay here.” 

“Thanks, I don’t know what we would have done if you guys didn’t show up.”

“Think nothing of it Tensei-“

“Tenya!!” Tensei and Toshi chuckle as, despite his pleas, Izuku and Ochako unceremoniously tackle Tenya and force him into a group hug. 

“We were so worried after we heard you through the clones’ comms-“

“Thank goodness you’re alright-“

“Yes, yes I’m alright, thank you,” Tenya attempts to placate them. “But this is hardly appropriate conduct in front of our superiors-“ he hesitates as both of his friends hit him with a double dose of puppy dog eyes. “I…” Tenya sighs. “Very well. On a day like this… I suppose it can’t be helped.” 

He seems to be more giving himself permission than his friends because before either of them can react, Tenya pulls them both back into a hug. Toshi smiles at the embrace. “I’m very relieved we got here on time,” he says, referring to the bodies of soldiers around them. 

“You’re telling me,” Tensei grins momentarily before his face slips into a frown, looking off in the distance. “One minute we were briefing for a mission and the next, we’re running for our lives.” He looks Toshi up and down. “I suppose you don’t have any idea what’s going on?”

Toshi shakes his head. “I’m afraid not. Have you had any luck contacting your brother’s master?”

Tensei shakes his head as well. “Nothing. We were supposed to complete this mission and then meet with Master Skoll but now…” Toshi pats his shoulder in understanding. He takes a deep breath. “But now we need a game plan.” 

He raises his voice so the teens can hear. “Tenya and I got lucky. We only survived the clone’s initial attack because someone noticed they weren’t in their usual formation.” Tenya goes a little red at his brother’s teasing tone, but there is genuine gratitude in there. “And then you guys showed up and saved our butts. But we’re not going to keep getting lucky all night. We need a plan.”

“What of the temple guards?” Tenya and his friends stand. “Do they not have protocol for situations like this? I have not seen a single one since the attack began.”

“If you haven’t then we can’t rely on that.” He looks back at Toshi. “What about the beacon room? Maybe we can send a message out, get some help?”

All Might shakes his head, holding up the communicator he stole from a clone. “They have already locked down that part of the temple. Them and this ‘Lord Vader’ who seems to be the one leading the attack.”

“Maybe he’s the one who turned the clones against us?” Izuku suggests. 

“Perhaps. But whoever this is has covered his bases.” Toshi lets his arm drop in frustration. “All of the ray shields around the temple are activated, with any usable escapes under heavy guard. Leaving does not seem possible at the moment.”

“We can’t just sit around?” Ochako looks between everyone. 

“No we can’t.” Tensei crosses his arms. “Technically, the smart thing to do would be to hide and wait until help arrives, but if the clones are hunting Jedi like they did to us…” He clenches his fists. “Toshi, I can’t just sit around and let other Jedi die.”

“Then let’s not.” Izuku grabs everyone’s attention, staring at his feet. “I wouldn’t even if you told me too.” Ochako sighs deeply because she knows he wouldn’t. But she can’t stop the admiration she feels for it either. “We're Jedi, aren’t we? Keepers of peace? Heroes of the Republic? We can’t just hide while people are dying. We have to help, we have to save them! Maybe we can’t escape, so instead, we save as many people as possible until we can! And then, we come back and save the rest!”

“Yeah!” Ochako pumps her fist in the air. 

“Excellently put, Midoriya!” Tenya agrees. 

Tensei smirks a bit at Toshi. “Been giving the kid tips on speeches in your spare time?” The older man clears his throat, causing Tensei to laugh.

When Denki’s senses come back to him, all he can hear is a painful ringing in his ears. 

He can’t see anything but white. What happened? Is he dead? No, he doubts his head would hurt this much if he was dead. As if to confirm that, the world around him starts to blur back into view, and he remembers what happened now. 

The communications center. They were trying to get a message out for help. Then Anakin showed up with a bunch of clones and- the teen grunts in pain, holding onto his head. That’s right, the clones had tossed in a bunch of flashbangs, and Denki hadn’t been ready for it. 

Colors start to appear through the fog of dust and smoke. Blue. Green. Purple. Lightsabers ignited all around him. But not just them. Blue blaster bolts pelt those lightsabers like an angry thunderstorm. 

Denki watches in slow motion as one by one, the dozens of lightsabers around him start to fade. One by one, they turn off, their owners dropping to the hard ground next to him. He doesn’t hear any of it. For the first time, he’s thankful for that. It’s the only thing he can find thankfulness for. 

Because standing in the middle of the chaos… is a monster. Its dark robes conceal both its body and any light or hope around it. Even the shine of its own blue lightsaber doesn’t seem to be able to pierce its darkness. 

But that’s the only thing it has trouble piercing. 

In a flash, three Jedi surround the monster, their lightsabers raised, intent on slaying it. The slow motion he saw the world in before becomes a distant memory as everything speeds up for Denki, moving so fast he can barely keep up. 

The monster twitches and the first Jedi, Death Arms, falls. 

Flash! He gasps. Clones take down Aoyama and Koda as they try to protect the injured. 

Flash! He’s back to the monster who, in another twitch, has killed Mt. Lady. 

Another flash blinds him, and his stomach turns. He sees a dead Yui Kodai on the ground. Her friend Ibara holds her body and sobs, praying through her tears. She doesn’t move when a clone puts a blaster to the back of her head and fires. 

One last flash. Kamui Woods grabs his midsection, dropping his saber and falling to the monster as well. Denki doesn’t have time to feel sorrow for him before the creature turns. 

And looks right at him. 

His mind screams at him to move, trying to will his frozen legs to lift him, but Denki can’t. He’s rooted to the ground as the monster strides toward him. A few more Jedi attempt to stop it, but they only succeed in slowing it for seconds. 

Denki swallows. Any moment now, death would be on top of him. 

But before it can, someone grabs the teen roughly by his robes. Oh, it’s Kyoka. And she’s yelling at him? At least he thinks so. He still can’t hear. Kyoka continues to yell at him, but Denki glances away as the monster gets nearer. 

The blond tries to shove her away, tries to tell her to save herself, but she doesn’t let him go, refusing to leave his side. The purple-haired girl says something else; it looks like she’s saying ‘sorry’ before suddenly smacking him across the face. Hard. 

The sounds of the battle crash into Denki’s head, overwhelming him for a second under all of the yelling and blaster fire. He quickly adjusts however. 

“Dude!! Can you hear me?!” Kyoka almost pleads. 

Denki decides he doesn’t like hearing her sound like that. To ease her worries, he jumps to his feet, igniting his lightsaber just as the monster, or Anakin he realizes, gets to them. “Get out of here!” 

“Not without you!” Kyoka replies stubbornly, standing at his side to fight. 

Both Padawans hold their breath as Anakin lifts his lightsaber to strike. They do the same to hopefully protect themselves, but their opponent suddenly stops, tilting his head. Denki barely catches movement behind the former Jedi. “You were always good at sneak attacks,” Anakin comments nonchalantly, before spinning around to block Edgeshot’s saber. 

“Go! Get as far as you can, go!” Edgeshot urges them before engaging Anakin in a duel with some of the quickest strikes Denki had ever seen. 

Luckily, Kyoka has a better head on her shoulders than him. She yanks her friend away from the center of the battle towards her master. 

“Kids!!” Hizashi beckons them over, before killing two clones that had gotten too close to him. 

“You can’t help her, it’s too late!” Denki feels his chest tighten even more as they run to Hizashi. Next to them, Hitoshi attempts to pry a sobbing Mina off of Toru’s body. “She's gone, Mina! And you will be too if you don’t move!”

“She was right next to me!!” she wails. “Why her?! Why couldn’t it have been me?!” She lets out a pained yell. “It should have been me!”

Unfortunately, her words strike a very familiar and painful cord with him. Using Sero’s sacrifice to fuel him, Denki lets go of Kyoka. “I’ll be right there!” he reassures her, running over to Hitoshi and Mina. He gives the purple-haired boy a single nod, and he understands. 

Together, they’re able to pull Mina up to her feet and lead her over to Hizashi. She breaks down into Hitoshi’s arms when they get there, and Denki can’t help but envy her. There’s nothing else he’d rather do right now than cry for his friends. 

But that time will have to come later as they hear a surprised shout. Denki knows what it is before he turns around. Using every ounce of willpower he currently has, the blond forces himself to look, to see his worries confirmed true. 

Edgeshot rolls across the ground, his saber flying. And when he stops, the Jedi lays still, never to move again. Anakin peers back at them just as Shota finds their group. Behind Hitoshi’s master, Kendo, Tetsutetsu, and Pony squeeze their way next to the other teens. Denki hadn’t talked much with the other padawans, but he is thankful for anyone they can save right now. 

“Hizashi, take the kids and make a break for it.” Shota lifts his lightsaber. Anakin has seen how big their group is getting and seems eager to break them apart, personally. Two more Jedi, Shishida and Manual, try to stand in his way. But like so many others, they offer little resistance. 

“No- Shota, that’s nuts!” Hizashi cries. “We stand a better chance together!”

“It’s irrational to argue, so just go!!”

“Yes it is, now come with us!”

Shota leans forward, readying to dash at Anakin instead of continuing to argue, but the second floor railing being broken interrupts him. “I don’t think so!” The new Sith Lord looks up. “Belly flop!” 

The largest Jedi Denki has ever seen, Fat Gum, jumps down, attempting to crush Anakin underneath him. The young man is unperturbed however, simply pointing his lightsaber up. 

“It won’t be that easy!” One of the most uniquely-dressed Jedi, Best Jeanist, dashes in front of Anakin, saber raised. Now Denki gets it! They’ve trapped him! Either Anakin blocks Jeanist and gets crushed, or he deals with Fat Gum and leaves himself open to Jeanist!

His excitement for their seemingly fool-proof plan is short-lived. Anakin doesn’t allow either outcome, blocking Jeanist’s attack with his saber and catching Fat Gum with the Force using his other hand. 

With minimal effort, Anakin hurls the large Jedi at his friend, but Jeanist uses the Force to catch Fat Gum himself, turning his friend upright. “Leave! Together!” Jeanist yells at them. Both Jedi begin to focus their power into their hands. “Find our apprentices!”

“Tell Kirishima to save me a slice of cake!” Fat Gum laughs. “Actually, on second thought, tell him to save me an entire cake! We’re going to have a lot to talk about tonight!”

The pair of Jedi thrust both of their hands forward, their surge of the Force so powerful that it sends any clone unfortunate enough to be caught in their wave ragdolling clear across the room. 

Anakin dips his head a little before lifting his free hand. Blue waves of energy crash into each other as the Jedi’s attack meets the Sith Lord’s defense, knocking everyone around him off their feet. But for Anakin, it is nothing more than a stiff breeze through his robes, not even enough to knock his hood off. 

Jeanist pants, staring wide-eyed at how ineffective their attack was. He peers back, looking directly at Shota, an unspoken conversation between the two. “Please when you find them, keep our boys safe. And tell Bakugo… to comb his hair. I want him presentable when we reunite.”

Shota, with his hands shaking, nods solemnly. The ringing returns to Denki’s ears as the two adults lead the group of teens away, yelling words he can’t hear. But the blond never takes his eyes off Jeanist and Fat Gum, the Jedi rushing Anakin with their sabers ready. 

He knows what Jeanist was saying to Shota. They escape the area, and Denki loses sight of them. One look at everyone else and they know too. Despite the promises of a reunion, they were never going to see them again.

“We can’t avoid them forever,” Katsuma whispers fearfully. “What do we do?”

Kota grimaces, keeping one eye out for the clones’ inevitable return. While the rest of the younglings look just as lost as one another, Satsuki sits up suddenly, excited. “I know!” 

She winces when she’s met by a chorus of ‘shhh’s.’ “Sorry,” she whispers, before slightly smiling again. “I know what we can do. We can play hide and seek.”

Kota scoffs. “Oh yeah, sounds great. What makes a game better than dying when you lose.”

Satsuki holds up her hands. “No no. We go to the chambers where we always play. I told my sister about it. If there’s any chance of her finding us-“

“It’ll be there,” Mahoro connects the dots, smiling. “That’s perfect.” She looks back at Kota, who still seems unsure. “Do we have any better ideas?”

He looks at the rest of his class, who seem to all be nodding in agreement. “Okay, fine.”

“Meiloorun?”

Denki peers up, brushing his hair out of his eyes to find Kyoka offering him the tasty orange fruit, an unsure look on her face. He tries to reassure her with a small smile, but he thinks it comes off more as a grimace as he takes the fruit. Thankfully, he thinks she got the message anyway. 

After the group escaped the Communication Center, they ran through the twisting halls of the temple for what seemed like ages, thankfully only being found by a small group of clones they defeated easily. 

Now they have all stopped for a rest in an empty break room, catching their breath. Denki takes stock of who they have. There’s Kyoka next to him. Masters Shota and Hizashi fiddle with some device they took off one of the clones who attacked them.

Mina sits with Hitoshi, leaning on his shoulder and staring off into space while he hugs her. He doesn’t look much better. Kendo, Tetsutetsu, and Pony all sit huddled together as well. 

Taking a big bite, Denki doesn’t say anything when Kyoka sits down next to him, mirroring his pose of pulling her legs up and leaning back against the wall. The two had always gotten along best by messing with one another. Constantly joking over being annoyed that they were paired up for a mission, or their units had to travel together on the same star ship. 

At least, he had always been joking about it. Not willing to admit how much seeing her relieved him. Sometimes, he had wondered if it was all jokes to her or if that’s how she actually felt about him. 

Some of his worries seem so stupid in hindsight. For one, of course she was joking too. How close she sits next to him now confirms that. And two, it seems trivial compared to having his world turned upside down in a single night. 

And the worst part is, without communications, he can’t even let his Master Plo know he’s alright. The blond takes another big bite of his fruit. They have to get out of here. He can’t disappoint his master by letting himself die here, not after all the work he’s put into training Denki. They’d get out of here and he would find him. Somehow. 

“Thanks,” Denki finally says to Kyoka, the juices of the fruit helping his sore throat. She nods, eating her own snack. It’s a dumb question but he can’t help but ask. “Are you doing okay?”

Kyoka inhales before answering. “No, you?”

“Nope.” He bites into his fruit some more. “I guess we can finally agree on something, huh?”

His attempt at humor is met with a light-hearted scoff. He’ll take that as a win! Kyoka shakes her head. “Figured it’d take something like this for that to finally happen.”

“Yeah…” Denki chuckles softly, finishing his snack. “That thanks wasn’t just for the food by the way… thanks for pulling me up back there. I was probably a goner without you.”

“It wasn’t a big deal,” she waves him off. “You’re annoying, but that doesn’t mean I want you dead.” Kyoka side-eyes him, the corner of her mouth rising just a little in a smirk. 

Denki places a hand to his chest. “Now my cheek isn’t the only thing stinging because of you,” he wails dramatically. But not too loudly. 

“What do we do now?” Denki is pulled out of their conversation by Mina’s voice. It’s small, especially for someone usually so enthusiastic, but all of the teens have no trouble hearing it. 

“We get out of here,” Hitoshi tries to reassure her. 

“That’s easier said than done,” Kendo points out kindly. “Our best option is the hangar, which means the clones will have it heavily guarded.”

“They’ll have every exit guarded,” Kyoka sighs. “They know this place as well as we do.”

“And it’s exactly where they’d expect us to go.” Shota stands in between them all with Hizashi behind him. “Which is why we won’t be. It’s suicide.”

“As opposed to just waiting here until the clones find us and kill us?” Kyoka snarks, rolling her eyes. 

Shota raises an eyebrow at Hizashi, who smiles sheepishly. “No, we won’t be doing that either.” He clicks on the clone’s device, which produces a hologram large enough for all of them to see. 

“A base?” Hitoshi questions. 

“A makeshift one,” Shota clarifies. “One of several set up inside the temple by the clones after their attack began.” He points out different items as he speaks. “They are allowing them to treat their wounded but more importantly, store supplies.”

Mina straightens. “So instead of waiting for the clones to find us, you want to head towards them?!”

Hizashi picks up on the speech, shaking his head. “No! That’s the point! Because the clones are so busy guarding all of the temple’s exits, they’ve left all of their bases seriously under defended!”

Shota nods. “They’d never expect it. Not only could we resupply but also destroy anything we leave behind so they can no longer use it.” He sighs. “The last thing we want is to bring you with us, but like this war has done to us for years, we do not have a choice. We aren’t going to escape by waiting for someone else to find us. We have to do it ourselves. And it starts here.”

Tetsutetsu punches his palm. “At least it lets us get some serious payback.”

Kendo places a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “I know how you feel… but that isn’t the Jedi way.”

Pony shifts uncomfortably. “I know what you’re trying to say…” she begins carefully. “But if Master Shota says we should do something unexpected… wouldn’t that mean not following the Jedi code?”

A heavy silence falls over the kids as they debate her words. Is that it? Do they just give up on the ethical code they have based almost their entire lives on? Denki glances at his friends, and the answer is obvious. He’d do anything to keep them safe. 

It would seem Shota has an answer for them, clearing his throat. “Right now isn’t about what’s the right or wrong thing to do. It is about survival. About living long enough to ask those questions later.”

He spins the hologram around and points to one of structures of the base. “This is a mobile communicator array. It’s how the Clones are staying in contact with the outside world. We get to this and we can contact the outside. We get to this, and we’ll have a place to go.”

“Lord Vader!” Captain Appo stands at attention by the Sith Lord. “The Temple’s beacon has been successfully changed, sir. It now informs all Jedi the war is over and to return here.”

Vader hums, watching as the clones search the sea of dead bodies for both surviving comrades and Jedi. “Has the Tribunal sent any updates?”

Appo checks his logs. “Negative, sir. We received a report that Commander Rex and his forces had engaged the traitors Ahsoka Tano and Maul aboard the ship, but have not received any updates since.”

Vader mulls over the report while the clones begin to take the robes off slain Jedi. “Keep me updated. And when you do receive word from Rex, tell him I want him here immediately to take over operational command.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Lord Vader!” Another batch of clones arrive, dragging a Jedi with them. “We overheard this one saying the Jedi have set up multiple medical centers through the temple!” They throw the old woman to Vader’s feet. 

Recovery Girl pants, looking up at Vader as she steadily gets to her feet. Two clones aim their blasters at her, but she makes no move to attack. 

“Where?” Vader asks simply. Recovery Girl gets ahold of her labored breaths and shakes her head. “Perhaps, I wasn’t clear enough.” He ignites his lightsaber, holding it close to her face. “Where?” 

If the threat bothers Recovery Girl, she doesn’t show it, choosing to stare up into the Sith’s hateful eyes. “Do you remember the first thing you said to me when they brought you here?” Vader’s eyes narrow partly. “You told me you were cold.”

The old Jedi rubs her hands together. “You were always so cold. I used to keep extra blankets in my office for you.” She keeps staring up at him, but Vader doesn’t budge. “A side effect of your upbringing on a planet with two suns, I suppose. Much like how uncomfortable you used to be with referring to your teachers as ‘master.’”

Another pause. “But I knew you’d overcome it. You always did. Sure, the counsel knew how gifted you were with the Force, but only I knew how resilient you are. And, with the right teachings, how we could help you overcome any hurdle.”

Her face twists into one of distraught as she wills herself to keep looking at him. “We failed you. I failed you. And for that, I am sorry. I am so sorry we couldn’t help you in the ways you clearly needed. But there are still youngsters out there we haven’t failed yet.” She stamps her cane. “So you may do what you wish to me, but I swear that no matter what, I will not reveal the locations of the other hospitals.”

With her peace said, Recovery Girl’s body relaxes a little. Just her body however. Her conviction remains strong as ever as she continues to stare the Sith down. The hum of his lightsaber slowly gets closer to her face, growing louder and louder until-

Vader turns off his blade, regarding Recovery Girl one last time. “I believe you.” He whirls around, his cloak billowing behind him as he strides away, Appo at his heels. “Captain, gather up the men. It would seem we have some hunting to do.”

The last thing Vader hears before exiting the room is the sound of a single blaster shot, and a body hitting the ground.

“Man, I sure hope someone else had the same idea we did!” Tensei yells, their group pinned by a clone’s repeating blaster. He hides behind a column with Izuku and Ochako, while Toshi hides behind the column on the other side of the hall with Tenya. The mounted minigun made it impossible for them to move. “Because at this rate, we’re the ones who are going to need rescuing!” 

“It is hardly the time for jokes!” Tenya scolds over the blaster fire. 

“There might not be time for it later!” 

“Tensei!”

“I’m just trying to lighten the mood!” 

“If we could focus our energy on the situation at hand!” Toshinori brings everyone back to their current predicament. “Because they are pushing our position!” Izuku peeks around the corner, hoping for once his master wouldn’t be right. He is. 

While the repeating blaster keeps them pinned, other clones are using the various pillars lining the hall as cover so they can move up to the Jedi. They don’t have long. He ducks away just in time when a clone takes a shot at him. “What do we do?!”

Tensei looks around, his eyes widening in alarm. “Toshi! New problem!” The doors on the other side of the hall open. 

“You’ve gotta be kriffing kidding me,” Ochako curses. 

“They’re flanking us!!” Toshi and Tensei immediately step forward to defend the padawans from the clones that had emerged in front of them, blocking the incoming blaster fire. “Destroy the repeating blaster; we’ll cover you!” Toshi yells behind him. “I know you can figure it out!” 

“Destroy it?! How?!” Ochako shouts incredulously. She peeks around the corner, but blaster fire immediately forces her to retreat, the bolts sparking off the corner of the walls. 

“The force?!” Izuku suggests. 

“Not possible!” Tenya shakes his head. “Any of us would be dead long before we could concentrate enough to grab the gun!”

Izuku looks back and forth between his friends. Time. They need time. He can try the new force technique he has been working on with his master, but there are too many things that can go wrong! And he wouldn’t put Tenya and Ochako’s lives in danger like that! They trust him way too much for that. 

Wait. They do trust him. Like he trusts them. They need to figure out a way to prevent the minigun from killing them while using the force to grab it. And Izuku knows just who he trusts. 

He looks down at Ochako. “Your barrier!” She looks back at him like she doesn’t know what he’s talking about, before it dawns on her. And when it does, the brown-haired girl grabs him in alarm. Izuku cuts her off before she can protest. “You can protect us with the barrier while we use the force to take out the blaster!”

“Barrier?” Tenya questions, having not seen it. 

“Izuku, no!” Ochako shakes her head frantically. “I- we can’t! I had no idea what I was doing! It just kinda happened in the moment! And even if I could do it again, I don’t know if I could hold it long enough to protect you-!”

Izuku grabs her arms, stilling his friend. “I know you can,” he assures her simply. 

“You- you dummy!” Ochako cries, swinging her arms out of Izuku’s grip. “We just talked about you being reckless and getting yourself killed! And you wanna do this?!”

“Yes! But this time it’ll be different!”

“How?!”

“You’ll be there to protect me!” Ochako reels back at her best friend’s words. Izuku takes a breath, trying to give her a reassuring smile. “I heard what you said to me. And I don’t want to die and leave you guys. I want to do this because I trust you to protect me.” 

Ochako’s eyes go wide, tilting her head slightly up to look straight at the green-haired boy, looking for any hint of deception in his eyes. She doesn’t find any. “Y-you sure? After all this time?”

Her question confuses him, until Izuku realizes something so obvious he nearly slaps himself. Of course she’d be unsure! For three years, Ochako had to watch him throw himself recklessly into danger over and over without a second thought. To Izuku, the only thing he was risking was himself. 

But to Ochako, over time, she thought he didn’t trust her. All those times he jumped into a fight without telling her, just like he did when the clones first started attacking them, Ochako must have assumed he didn’t think she could handle it or fight by his side. 

In trying to protect her, Izuku had found another way to hurt her. How dumb was he?

Izuku grabs her hand, and Ochako’s face burns red. As does Izuku’s. He can feel his blush travel up his ears. They had held hands plenty of times during battles, whether it was pulling one or another in a direction and helping the other up over a ledge. What made this time different?…

“I’ve never been more sure of anything,” he finally tells her. Ochako positively beams, and Izuku feels like he can do just about anything at the moment. 

“Guys!” Which is good given Tenya’s alarmed yell. “The clones are almost upon us! Do we have a plan of attack?!”

Ochako turns back at Izuku, and he gives her one more nod of reassurance. Looking more determined than ever - he loves seeing her like that - Ochako takes a deep breath, and after a few seconds, she yells, thrusting both arms forward. 

Nothing happens at first, but Izuku doesn’t doubt her. And his confidence is rewarded as moments later, a transparent blue shield appears a couple of feet in front of Ochako’s hands. “You did it!” Izuku cheers. “How did you get it to work?”

She smiles back at him. “I just thought of who I want to protect.”

Ochako pushes forward, leaving Izuku to recover from his fresh blush alone for a few seconds, before he rushes behind her. As they had hoped, the circular shield absorbs all of the blaster fire effortlessly. 

“This is the plan?!” A flabbergasted Tenya questions, running next to Izuku behind their friend. 

“Yup!” Izuku confirms. Tenya looks somehow both disappointed but not surprised with his friends. “I’m gonna grab the repeating blaster with the force. The clones will probably try to move behind us and the barrier!”

The sounds of blasters being absorbed by the shield increase. “I understand!” Tenya activates his lightsaber, his body starting to glow slightly. “By augmenting my speed with the force, I should be able to protect you for a short time. Good luck, my friend!”

Izuku nods and, not wanting to waste any more time, closes his eyes and reaches out with the force. His senses grow exponentially. He can hear every step taken on the ground. Every little grunt from Ochako as she grits her teeth to keep her barrier up. 

He can hear Tenya dashing from side to side, too quick for the clones to react, and taking them out. He can even hear both his masters and Tensei’s labored breathing. They wouldn’t last forever. 

Izuku pushes ahead and he feels it! The repeating blaster. He allows his essence of the force to wash over the weapon, and once he feels like he has a good grip, he jerks his arm up. With a satisfying tear, he can hear the minigun being torn away from its mount and lifted into the air. 

Izuku can feel the hesitation building up in him, and the gun falters. No! He trusted his friends to protect him, and now he has to protect them. No matter the cost. He twists his hand and the blaster rotates to face the clones that were attacking them from the front. 

“Toshi, get down!” Tensei reads what he’s doing immediately, and that’s all Izuku needs to hear. He closes his fist and the blaster opens fire, raining deadly bolts on the clones that had been trying to kill them. 

They don’t stand a chance. 

In seconds, the repeating blaster rips through the remaining clones like butter. Their bodies are left filled with so many blaster burn marks, most of them are still smoking, even as they lie still on the ground. 

Izuku lets go, dropping both the blaster and to his knees. Ochako and Tenya are on either side of him almost instantly, rubbing his back as the green-haired boy pants for air. “I… I didn’t…”

“We know.” It’s Ochako’s turn to reassure him. “It’s okay, we know.” Izuku ducks his head as his friends huddle closer. He’s never been more thankful for them. 

It’s not like Izuku is adverse to taking a life. Being a child of war, he had been forced to make his peace with that a long time ago. But killing men he had grown to trust for years? Something about it just felt so wrong. 

They hear a door open, and Izuku goes on high alert, but Tensei’s jovial tone clams him. “Well looks like the clones were right on where you guys were hiding!”

“Ochako!” 

Izuku smiles, already feeling a bit better as he sees Tsu running into her friend's arms, the girls hugging each other tightly. Todoroki runs past them and slides on his knees next to Izuku. “Are you both alright?” He scans both of them, eyeing Izuku closely. “Is he injured?”

“No no, we’re fine, Todoroki. Thank you for your concern,” Tenya placates him. “Our last battle merely winded us.” He looks up at the room his friends had run out of. “How did both of you end up trapped together, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Todoroki’s shoulders noticeably sag at the news that they were okay. “There isn’t much to tell. I had been planning to go with Asui and her Master Fisto to the archives for some research, as only he could give me access to some of the records I needed. We were waiting for him to return when the fighting broke out.”

Tsu looks up from her hug with Ochako. “Have any of you?…”

“He went with my master on some business for the council,” Ochako replies in a low voice. “I haven’t seen any of them since.” She and Tsu hug again. 

“Todoroki, have you by any chance heard from your father?” Toshi asks carefully. 

He shakes his head. “We have not had any contact with anybody but you.” He hooks his arm under Izuku’s armpit and looks to Tenya for help. Understanding where his friend is going, Tenya mirrors him and together, they gingerly lift Izuku back to his feet. Tenya lets go and Todoroki shifts, allowing the verdant to lean against him for support and rest. “How did you make it past the repeating blaster?”

“It seems Uraraka unlocked the ability to create force barriers.” Tenya cups his chin. 

“Let me guess,” Tsu chuckles. “Izuku was being an idiot again, right?” Ochako laughs and nods.

Izuku groans, burying his embarrassment into Todoroki’s shoulder. His friend lightly laughs, shaking him. “You’re always pushing people to reach their potential, aren’t you?” Izuku groans again, even if he is thankful for Todoroki’s words. 

“Thank you for rescuing us,” Tsu thanks them. “Master Yagi, did you have a plan?”

“You’re looking at it,” Tensei answers for him, scratching his cheek a little in shame. “We’re reaching anyone we can while we figure it out.”

Tsu hums. “If that is the case, may I make a suggestion?” She has everyone’s attention. “My sister, Satsuki, was with her class today. I plan on going to find her and the rest of the kids no matter what, but I would really appreciate the help.”

“You don’t even have to ask,” All Might smiles down at her. The rest of the group enthusiastically agrees with him. “Did you have some idea on where they might be?”

“Maybe?” Tsu answers as if she’s afraid to hope. Afraid to be disappointed. “Satsuki told me about a place they liked to play hide and seek in…”

Kota pants, trying to get a hold of his breathing while he also tries to not think about the two clones he just killed lying at his feet. It had been instinct! They turned the corner and caught the soldiers by surprise and he just acted! He- he-

Satsuki places a gentle hand on his and helps him deactivate his saber. “Thank you,” she whispers. “We wouldn’t have gotten this far without you.” Kota looks back, the rest of the kids agreeing with her. 

It helps. A lot. 

“We should hide them,” Mahoro suggests, and Kota’s thankful for it. He would’ve never thought about that. And after a considerable effort from most of the kids, they’re able to shove the bodies into a utility room and lock it. 

Definitely not a lesson they ever received in class. If only their teachers could see them now. Kota tilts his head. “C’mon everyone, we’re almost there.”

The last clone screams as Shota cuts him down. “Get anything you can carry and get it fast, we don’t know when another patrol is coming. Look for packs to help you.”

Mina nods, already eyeing a duffle bag and picking it up. For the first time in her life, she thinks they had been undersold what attacking the base would be like. It hadn’t just been under defended, it was practically empty! It seems like they hadn’t expected them to attack at all, or they expected the assault to be over quickly. 

The ‘base’ had been set in one of the temple’s cafeterias. Probably to take advantage of the food already stored there. Makes sense. But the makeshift area is no better than any they would’ve set up in the field, with boxes and crates thrown wherever they could fit and tents hastily put up to house injured soldiers and equipment. 

Mina grimaces as she runs into the kitchen, throwing whatever food she can find into her bag. They had found three clones outside actually guarding the base, but half a dozen more being tended to by a medical droid. Any hopes of resolving the situation peacefully with them ended when they grabbed their blasters and opened fire. 

She slams one of the cupboards closed. This isn’t right. None of this is right. 

Hitoshi runs in behind her to grab anything useful from the kitchens, while she gets the food. It’s good that he’s busy. Mina doesn’t think she can face him while saying this. “Sorry.” Her voice isn’t loud, but Hitoshi hears it all the same. 

He stands up, turning around. “What?”

“Sorry,” Mina repeats, keeping herself busy by throwing as much as she can into her bag. And while she could hide the tears building in her eyes and her hands slightly shaking, she couldn’t cover up the quiver in her voice. 

“When-“ she tries to clear her throat, “when Tokoyami and Toru both d-died, I was dumb… and would’ve gotten myself killed without you… so sorry I put you through that-“ 

Mina’s interrupted when Hitoshi tugs her back by her shoulder, turning her around, and pulling her into a close hug. “You don’t have to apologize.”

Letting her tears flow freely, Mina hugs him back. “Shut up, yes I do!”

“Okay.” Mina hates that she can hear the smirk on his face. “So when I say sorry the next time you save my life?…”

She chuckles through her sniffles. “You mean like every time I make sure you actually get a good night’s sleep?”

“How dare you. There’s nothing I hate more than going into a battle well-rested.” The two laugh a little more, allowing their hug to go on a few more seconds before separating. “C’mon, you can lecture me more about my sleeping habits after we get out of here.”

Nodding, the two padawans quickly finish their sweep over the kitchen before running back out, but Mina flinches when she hears Hitoshi curse. “Shit! Master!” The purple-haired boy kneels over a fallen clone. He throws his blaster away and picks up his arm. Her heart sinks when she sees the comms are blinking. “They called for help!”

As if to illustrate his point, a clone’s voice comes through the system. “Hello? Are you there, trooper? What’s happening?” 

“Shota, these codes are different from anything we used during the war! I’ll need a few minutes to figure them out!” Hizashi yells from the mobile communications array. 

“Dammit, we don’t have that!” Hitoshi’s master points to her and his apprentice. “See if you can delay them and then pick up whatever’s around you, we have to leave!”

He turns to yell at the other kids, and Hitoshi shakes his head. Mina kneels by him. “Stall them? He wants me to stall them?” Hitoshi laments. “How would I-“

“Reinforcements have already been dispatched to your position!”

They jump as the clone cuts in and Hitoshi immediately replies, “that, uh, isn’t necessary.” His clone impression isn’t… the worst she’s ever heard. “We’re fine here. Everyone’s fine. Don’t need backup, don’t send it. We’re great. Um, thank you.” He cringes a little, glancing up at Mina. “So, um, how are you?”

“Your voice sounds strange. What’s your operating number?”

“It’s uh…” he grabs the comm off the clone’s wrist and crushes it. “Master, they’re coming!”

“Almost there…” Hizashi’s hands fly across the machine. “Just another minute and we’ll have it!” 

Kyoka and Pony run up to him at the same time. “Master, what can we do?” his apprentice asks. 

“Barricade the door! That’ll hopefully keep them from crashing the party for too long!”

Pony and Kyoka nod at one another. “I’ll help,” the blonde says. “I think if we use the Force to stack the tables and the crates, we can-“ 

There’s a whizzing through the air. It’s so fast and comes out of nowhere so suddenly, none of them are prepared for it. None of them are even exactly sure what it is at first. At least, until the whizzing blaster bolt strikes Pony in the side of the head. 

Her eyes go wide, the young girl only having time to feel shock before she’s gunned down in a hail of blaster fire. 

“Too late!! They’re already here!” Denki yells, igniting his lightsaber. Mina and others do the same just in time as at least two dozen clones assault them from the entrance of the cafeteria. 

Blaster fire lights up the room as the Jedi attempt to defend themselves, but Mina can already feel herself draining. The Force can only sustain them for so long, and being in fight after fight today was taking its toll. They aren’t going to last long like this. 

“Guys! Get behind here!” Kendo uses the force to knock over a few of the tables and stack them on top of each other. Mina nearly cheers as she and Hitoshi hop behind the cover. Not having to worry about defending her body is an immediate boost. 

Tetsutetsu had moved next to Kyoka to help defend Hizashi. And while they had managed to down four or five clones, nothing lifted their spirits like hearing the older man cheer. “I did it! I have the codes for both the clones’ comms and outside!”

Unfortunately, the clones heard it too. Mina only catches a glimpse as one of the soldiers drops down to a knee, and launches a rocket at the mobile comm array. “Kids!” Hizashi force pushes himself with Koyoka and Tetsutetsu away just as it hits, destroying the array in a violent explosion. 

“No!” Denki slides on his knees next to a badly burned Kyoka. “It’s okay! This time, I got you!” She doesn’t respond. “Kyoka? Kyoka!” He shakes her just a little. Still, she doesn’t move. 

Mina’s face twists, her body growing cold and numb, as she and Kendo are the only ones left defending the clones’ attack. Denki continues to yell at Kyoka’s still body. Hitoshi glances up from where he had been checking on Tetsu and shakes his head. Hizashi tries to get back up but fails, shouting in pain. 

Shota keeps his friend’s head down, yelling something at them that Mina can’t hear while he struggles to his feet, re-activating his lightsaber. Kendo sees Hitoshi shaking his head and she screams, wallowing in the loss of her friend. 

There are too many clones. Too many people screaming. One of their adults is down. Mina doesn’t know what to do besides let her instinct guide her, deflecting every blaster bolt she can. But the clones seem endless. As does their pain-

There’s the sound of a new blaster shot over the noise. Followed by a clone screaming. It catches both the Jedi and clones off-guard. It happens again. And again. And yet again. Suddenly, the soldiers whirl around and find two clones that had just arrived are betraying them, shooting their comrades literally in the back. 

The traitor clones managed to kill a few more of their brethren before the others catch on and start to fire on them. Then when Mina realizes… those aren’t clones. 

Unless they had suddenly learned how to do a force jump high into the air, flipping over the soldiers and landing in front of the Jedi. But when she sees one of the clones ignite a blue lightsaber, it becomes clear as day. Her relief turns into pure joy when the other clone activates a double-bladed saber that is green on one side and blue on the other. 

She’d recognize that blade anywhere!

And as if the good news can’t stop coming, they hear a gasping behind them. Denki cries in relief when Kyoka opens her eyes, panting for air and clearly very hurt but most importantly, alive. 

With both a surge of adrenaline, the rest of the Jedi strike back at the still reeling clone force, and with the help of the new arrivals, they’re able to finish them off.

Deactivating her saber, Mina sprints to the clone with the double blade. “You’re alive!” The clone laughs, taking off her helmet. “Momo!” Mina practically jumps into her friend's arms, shifting back and forth from crying to laughter, unsure which one was the right thing to do right now. 

It helps that Momo seemingly couldn’t decide either. “Yes, yes it’s wonderful to see you too!” She hugs her back, smiling up at the rest of the Jedi. “It’s wonderful to see all of you okay.”

“Set!” 

Kendo runs up to the other clone, but Setsuna crashes into her first, hugging her friend. “Should’ve figured you’d be alright,” the green-haired girl sniffles, wiping an eye. “Why was I worried?” Setsuna laughs nervously. No one blames her. 

“Not a bad plan,” Shota comments, gesturing to the girls’ attire and supporting Hizashi as he gets back to his feet. 

Setsuna shrugs, still hugging Kendo. “We saw clones wearing Jedi cloaks and thought ‘hey, why can’t we do that?’”

“Oh, Kyoka!” Momo runs over and helps Denki get their injured friend on a table. “One moment, I was able to scavenge a few stims of bacta. That should help.”

Despite how much pain she’s in, the injured girl can’t help but laugh a little. “Always prepared no matter what, aren’t you?” Momo smiles back, injecting her with the bacta. Kyoka immediately exhales in relief. 

Shota hums. “Good, once you’re done there, we need to leave before the clones realize they have some soldiers missing.” He looks to Hizashi. “You still have those codes.” His friend nods. “Then there might be hope for us yet.”

Kota flinches when they hear one of the doors to a nearby chamber slide open. “Crap, more clones?” He looks behind at the others as if they might have the answer. They don’t. 

Katsuma and Mahoro kneel beside him. “You don’t have to do this alone,” the former reassures him. 

“We’re all with you. Trust us,” the latter reiterates what her brother said. The rest of the younglings silently agree with them and take out their lightsabers in support. 

“I promised my sister we were going to watch holovids tonight,” Satsuki tells them from her hiding spot. “And I’ve never broken a promise and I won’t start now.”

Kota huffs, looking away and wiping his eyes. A couple of the other kids laugh a little, but he understands they’re not making fun of him. “Thanks guys. That helps.”

Izuku slides the door to the chambers closed. “The kids aren’t in here.”

“Then we spread out and search every room here,” All Might tells them. “Quickly now!”

Ochako checks the next room. 

Kota takes a slow breath as he hears another door open. The clones are checking all of the rooms. They’d eventually get to them. 

Tenya checks a room.

Another door. The kids hold their lightsabers close to their chests. 

Todoroki checks a room. 

Katsuma pulls his sister behind him. 

Tensei checks a room. 

Mahoro slaps her brother’s hand, giving him a look. They knew she’d probably end up protecting him. 

Tsu checks a room. 

Satsuki twists her hands around her saber nervously. 

Toshinori checks a room. 

Kota takes a breath. This is it. They are right next to them. It’s now or never. 

Izuku opens the door to the last room, peering inside. 

The kids peek out. 

The teen’s eyes widen. “Kota?” He runs inside. 

Kota could cry, he's so relieved. “Guys? Guys! It’s okay! We’re saved!” He steps out from behind the chair he was hiding behind. “It isn’t clones!”

Izuku drops to his knees, tears spilling from his eyes. “Kota?…” The rest of the group runs in behind him. 

Tsu screams. 

All of the younglings emerge from their hiding spots, each with a different level of relief at the sight of their savior. 

“S-sorry.” Kota hooks his saber back to his belt, scratching the back of his head nervously. “We thought you were more clones looking for us. Thank you for finding us but…” 

He looks up at Anakin. “Master Skywalker, there’s so many of them. What are we going to do?”

Vader responds by activating his lightsaber.

Izuku’s hand shakes as it hovers over Kota’s body. He can’t bring himself to lower it, as if physically touching the boy will confirm what his eyes are telling him. What his mind is refusing to accept. 

Tsu has no such issues, running over and lifting Satsuki’s body into her arms. “Suki?” Her breath begins to tremble. “Suki…” The little girl doesn’t move. “Hey, open your eyes. It’s okay. It’s… it’s Tsu, your big sister.” 

Todoroki slowly approaches her. Tsu’s hand shakes as she brushes some hair out of Satsuki’s face. “There you go. I know you hate it when your hair covers your eyes.” She can’t stop the tears as Todoroki kneels next to her. Tsu looks up, a tragic smile on her face. “The h-hair isn’t in her face anymore… so now she can open her eyes.”

“Tsu…”

She looks back down to her sister. “We promised we’d spend time together tonight… and Suki never breaks her promises.” Tsu cradles her close, barely containing her sobs. “S-she n-never… never…” Tsu falls into Todoroki, unable to hold back her crying anymore. 

Izuku finally lowers his hand over Kota’s chest and… feels nothing. No heartbeat. No movement. He barely feels someone grab him. His whole body is so numb that he doesn’t register Ochako’s tears falling on him. 

“They…” his voice comes out hoarse. “They were just kids…” His hands scrunch up Kota’s robes. “They were just kids!”

Tensei goes and comforts Tenya as he slams a fist into the wall, Toshinori watching over the group with regret. “You are all kids.”

“Lord Vader, your report.” Captain Appo hands the Sith the holopad with all of the progress and stats of the clones at the temple. “The Jedi are putting up much more of a fight than anticipated. At the rate the men are going, they are going to have to work well into tomorrow to search the entire temple.”

“Hey, I found one!” 

Vader and Appo turn their attention behind them as they hear blaster shots and the sound of a clone groaning. The door ahead of them opens and said clone falls through it, revealing a Jedi behind him. 

But not one of the soldiers around them seem overly concerned. And why would they? It’s only another youngling after all. 

“Form up!” Six clones line up, aiming their blasters. The little girl raises her lightsaber, preparing to defend herself. 

Vader glances back at the holopad. “Hold.”

All at once, the clones lower their weapons and back away from the child. Appo knows better than to question his orders, but he does look to Vader, waiting for his next command.

Instead, Vader tells him, “during the war, the Jedi code frequently hampered them in battle, often preventing them from doing what was necessary for a complete victory.”

The little girl looks between Vader and the clones, piecing together that he’s the one in charge. Again, she raises her green lightsaber. Old memories stir in the Sith. Like how happy the girl was when she received her crystal, pleased that it was the same color as a boy she looked up to. 

“Sir?” Appo questions. 

“But the code had other effects,” Vader continues. The little girl puts both hands on her saber and charges him, lunging with all her might. Vader easily sidesteps her before taking both of her tiny wrists into his hand and lifting her off her feet. 

Vader stares as the youngling continues to struggle in his grip, refusing to give up. “The code drove the Jedi to compassion. And with it, a drive to save the innocent, no matter the cost. A drive to be heroes.”

He applies just a bit of pressure to the girl’s wrists and she yells in pain, dropping her lightsaber. “Captain, the solution to your problem is obvious. So obvious, we have already implemented it with the temple’s signal beacon. We will not waste our time looking for the Jedi.”

Vader force pulls the girl’s fallen saber into his free hand and activates it, holding it close to a scared Eri. “We will make them come to us.”