Balance ○ A Star Wars Fan Fiction

Chapter 4 ○ The Dark Side Rises

Tally approached her Master with despair. She had failed him on her first mission.

"Master Fisto, I... we have failed you. When we asked this Twilek girl," Tally said while pointing at her, "if the drugs were poisoned she said yes."

Anakin saw his fellow Padawan almost break down, so he swooped in to save her, "Then, we asked her about her Master who gave her the drugs to sell, it was as if she was mind controlled to slit her wrists."

"I am so sorry we failed you." Tally cut in.

"Padawan Skywalker and Diquavis," Obi Wan said in a comforting voice, "Look closer at your evidence and you'll find your answer. Now go back to your quarters for a good night sleep."

As Tally headed to her room she thought about what the Twilek said, of what Master Kenobi said, and she was stumped.

She gazed at her reflection in the mirror. How could they find the culprit? What clues was she missing? Was she going to fail her training because she couldn't figure out a simple problem?

At the dead of night, her mind wandered, that's it. She found the clue Obi Wan was telling her about.

She rushed towards Anakin's room to tell her companion their clue. As she was about to bang on the door, the Jedi opened the door. With that motion, Tally clobbered Ani in the face.

"Sorry Padawan Skywalker," Tally apologized, "I've found our clue."

"Me too." The half asleep, sore Jedi responded.

They both figured out that someone with the force had come up with the dealing. If she slit her wrists on command, then a being with the Force must've commanded her too do so. They stayed up the rest of the night figuring out possible suspects and perfect plans.

The top person on their list was Count Dooku. A former Jedi who had lost his rightful ways to the dark side.

As they perfected their plan, there was a look in the two Padawans eyes. A longing for each other. They both felt for each other but wouldn't admit it.

For Anakin, it was a fear of rejection. He loved Tally and had already told her. He couldn't deal with the pain of her denying his love again.

For Tally, it was more difficult. She was in denial. She would tell herself that she hated Anakin for not speaking to her. But also because she was scared. Tally loved the idea of a Gray Side. A balance. But the Jedi were powerful beings. They'd harm her if they knew her deepest thoughts.

"Friends again?" Tally asked Anakin.

"Of course!" He replied, "Sorry for being a jerk."

"I'm sorry too." Tally replied.

•○•○•○•○•○•○•○•

When they warm pink sunset rose, the Padawan met their Masters at breakfast.

"Padawan Tally Diquavis and I have a possible suspect," Anakin said with a certain confidence.

"Who may that be?" Kenobi inquired.

"Count Dooku." Tally chimed in, "He has the force so he could mind controlling his workers into killing themselves when asked about their leader."

"And," Anakin added, "it was interesting how she referred to her leader as Master."

"Then we must go see Dooku" Fisto concluded.

The four headed to the planet of Sereno where Dooku's perfect palace is located.

"Tally," Anakin told his friend on the ship, "Thank you for being my friend. It has been lonely without you."

"I will never forgive you completely for you to spring those words on me but I don't mind being friends with you." Tally said in return.

They sat on Tally's room on the ship's navy blue cot and talked. They stared up at the beige roof telling stories of the years that they'd spent without each other.

The two shared laughs and cries. And Tally had forgotten about the deep, dark spot in her heart reserved for her hate for Anakin Skywalker. As they were talking, Tally drifted into her dream world.

Anakin moved Tally's hair out of her face and watched her sleep. He liked the calmness in her face. How her mean look turned soft and fragile. How her chest rose up and down as she slept. His heart boomed, filling with love for her.

•○•○•○•○•○•○•○•

Obi Wan was ready to wake up his Padawan, but as he strode to Anakin's room, he saw Tally's a crack door open and peered in. He was alarmed to see Anakin with her since the two hadn't spoken in a while but his heart still smiled.

He was reminded of a time his heart smiled every day. He knew bringing the two together would work. He wanted them to have what he could never attain and he hoped for the best.

AN

I am going on a vacation over Christmas, and I won't be able to publish anything. I hope to write 2 short past chapters (one about Dooku and another about Obi Wan) before I leave. I want to say thank you so much for reading. I never imagined having as many readers as I do and I'm grateful for every single one of you. I hope you enjoy my story and I am open if you have questions/feedback/grammatical error.

Bye Amigos!