Daylight

73. Cherry Bomb

Waking up to a dark room, I wondered if my body would ache as bad as it did the last time we had sex. Slowly moving each limb around, I didn't get the ache of pain until I moved my hips and legs. Ugh, typical. Looking around, I could see if I was facing Ben anymore as I pulled myself up from the mattress. Looking down at him, he slept peacefully. Even moving the way I did, he still didn't move an inch. I smiled lightly and admired his face, marked by birthmarks the reminded me of stars. He looked just as beautiful as I did to him last night. Thinking of my words, I looked around the darkroom to find the curtains closed and the bedroom door wide open. Frowning as to why it was opened, I shuffled slowly and quietly out of his bed and out into the main area, seeing no one in sight. A chill rushed down my body at the lack of clothing as I knew I must've looked crazy.

Smirking at the word, I had noticed a pile of clothes, a woman's clothes folded neatly on the edge of a table near me. Tilting my head at an angle in curiosity, I walked over as the pads of my feet touched the cold marble floor. Picking up the garments one by one, I could see they were mine. A leather jacket, tight-fitting pants, a royal blue tank top, and tie everything together, black heeled knee-high boots. It felt weird to see another color in my wardrobe, but the blue was almost the same color as Ben's old Kyber crystal around my neck. Feeling a breeze enter the room and another presence, I didn't have to expect much as I knew it was Ben. When I turned around with the tank top and leather jacket in my hands, a smile was prominent on his face. And the fact he wore black pants made me believe he left at some point.

"You do realize I don't wear anything else but violet, correct?"

"Yes, but if you want my honesty, I'd rather have you stay like this." As he spoke, he ventured over to me as he pulled the clothes out of my hands and brushed my wavy long hair to the back of my body. The full view of my breasts in his sight now as he wrapped his hands around my body, enough to make my breath hitch. Gripping and gliding across the skin, one of his hands fell to my butt as a quick smack came with it. A smirk appeared on my face as he leaned into me to kiss my forehead.

"I'm sure you do, but if you want my honesty, I don't want your Knights to see me like this." I couldn't help but think of his Knights as he stepped away from me, which gave me enough time to grab the remaining clothes and dash to his bedroom again. He followed behind me, and then came the closing of the door.

"They won't enter this place until I allow them to. Which means you don't have much time to change."

"And why can't I take my time?"

"The First Order is returning to Canto Bight to recruit a few members into Hux's program for the Stormtroopers. This penthouse will be needed in just a few moments. So, be quicker than a snail's pace, Amara." He ordered with the same tone as I watched Ben place more of his usual clothing on. 

From underwear to a bra, it was clear Ben thought of everything I wore as I kept my sight on myself in the only mirrored surface in the room. Through it, I could see him putting his cloak back onto his shoulders as he reached for his newly formed helmet. The red lines caught my eye as I turned around to face him, pulling my arms through the sleeves of the leather jacket. I could feel his intense stare on me, but all I could think about was how different it looked. The helmet looked worn in some places as the red lines were metallic in the dim lighting.

"Can I see-" I didn't know how to ask to see his helmet but didn't realize how submissive he would be by walking over to where I stood. Putting the helmet at arm's length, I took it with hesitation and examined the object. I didn't realize how heavy it truly was as I turned it at various angles to better look.

"I remember you hating it for so long but not once did you ever show fear to it." His voice was hushed yet deep, as if he didn't want to interrupt my attention to the object.

"Before or after your identity was revealed?"

"Both," He answered quicker than I thought he would as I pushed it back into his waiting hands. With a rush, he placed it onto his head as I heard the locking devices click. Humming at his answer, we both felt the Knights enter the penthouse as they awaited Ben in the main living area. Sensing their intentions not to harm unless told otherwise, though they still made me feel on edge, especially with Ben standing inches in front of me.

"They won't harm you, Amara. Like you, they won't unless threatened or if-"

"I threaten to harm you, yeah, I know." I waved a hand towards him before rubbing my left temple.

"We both know you-"

"Don't! You know for a fact that we have harmed each other in various ways. So please, Supreme Leader, don't make it sound like we won't harm or threaten or whatever to the other." With my words came a sudden rush of anger from both of us as he stepped forward but stopped mid-step, his eyes watching something next to me. Turning to my left, the closest object to me on the dresser was his saber, and because of what we were feeling, it began to float. With a frustrated sigh, I brought my hand up long enough to push it down with the force and back onto the hardwood surface. That was always annoying.

"I thought that would be controlled by now." His words hung in the air like smoke that never cleared.

"The power is, yes. But that doesn't mean my emotions attached to the force aren't. Did any of you ever try to figure out why I travel alone or choose to be alone?"

"It's irrelevant to me." He spoke as the version of Kylo Ren began to appear, and with it, the sight of Ben Solo vanished before me. Humming at his answer, the door was forced open by Vicrul, addressing mainly Ren about the approach of the First Order's Command Shuttle, his shuttle.

"I'm sure that answer will be sooner or later. Enjoy your day, Kylo Ren." And with the harsh sound of my words, I left his penthouse as he spoke my name, but only once.

Fleeing to my penthouse, I knew I only had so much time before the Resistance came too. I kept my mind in a calming state and my emotions as I let Ren feel my anger die down slowly. Grabbing my lightsaber, I placed it inside my boots as I grabbed the only bag I ever brought on my travels and began to pack everything I brought and found here. If a battle would erupt between the Resistance and the First Order today, I had to be prepared for anything, including the betrayal against Ren. Once believing that the first time was bad enough, more past events happened, and now here I was, doing it once more though we forced the other to believe I would stay forever last night. I knew his intentions were clear, and so were my, though our judgments were clouded with love, lust, and ecstasy. Not a day went by since we met that I didn't want to be with him. But, we still lived within a war. His mind was already filled with so much hatred towards the Light Side, the Resistance. And sadly, my heart stood against him.

Grabbing my parents' sabers, I felt the balance of power within the force as I tried my best not to siphon the leftover power inside the hilts. It tempted me to no end as I pushed them inside the satchel, tieing it together and pulling it over my shoulders. Looking around, I had nothing else I wanted to take with me, no mementos, no personal objects. Everything else that was placed in this room was fake anyway, and I made sure of it. Every replica was copied after an object only found in my father's vault in Sylas. So luckily, nothing held much value here. With a touch of regret for not wanting to keep this place, I knew it was time to say goodbye. I had other places to worry about, other people to worry about, as the thought of a redhead entered my mind. I made sure the vision of Hope was blurred, just in case Ren was sensing for me. In seconds, I got my answer as I felt his force in the back of my head, breaking down easy barriers that were always there for him.

Escaping through a small servant entrance towards the furthest wall in my penthouse, I raced down the old wooden staircases that hadn't been used in years. Listening to it creak, I thought for a few steps I'd fall right through but knowing I could use the force to help myself further down, I stopped worrying about it and kept running. My mind wandered to various things out of habit, and with it came the future my parents wanted me to have. They obviously didn't see a bright future for me, and neither did I as I pushed my way through an old service door that led to the outside gardens. I didn't want to belong to the Dark Side since I already had so much trouble with it from years past. No thanks to my ex-lover Bex Toth. Thinking of Bex for a moment, it occurred that not once did he return to me as a Force Ghost, as Vader did. I let Ren feel my wondering thoughts around Bex as I felt him trying to ease my mind as if to show me he wasn't worth caring about anymore. I would agree; he wasn't, but the more I feared the Dark Side, the prominent the new fears became.

Sprinting towards a stone wall facing the city streets, I used the force to help with some momentum to jump over the wall with skill and grace. Landing on my feet, a few people clapped as I raced down towards the only area that still called for me: the building I was drowned in. From this building, I would watch the Resistance blow it up, and with it, the change of tides as the Mission: Cherry Bomb would begin. And with it, hopefully, the rise of the Resistance. As I still found myself pulling towards the Dark the further away I got from where Ben was in the hotel, I knew it was him trying to tell me something, or a warning to not stray too far from him. Frowning at the thought, I kept my mind neutral as I thought about the night before, our night. Feeling the tension between us ease a little, I found my building with no effort as a few members of the Resistance greeted me.

"Amara Djinn?" The woman who approached me first asked. Everyone that was here looked absolutely petrified. Nodding my head as I summoned my lightsaber only to ignite it and then shut it down, everyone exhaled the air they held in, the woman smiling wide.

"Oh, thank the stars! You have no idea how hard it's been without you, dear. Monroe had us worried to death for you-"

"Monroe's here?" I asked while frantically looking around before catching her shake her head. A frown formed on my lips.

"He's already headed back to Ajan Kloss, our current base. He ordered us to stay to make sure you were escorted out of this city safely. He was very keen on it."

"I can imagine," I spoke while tilting my head before we heard sudden loud bangs and screams, followed by blasters being used. With their minds filled with fear of the First Order, I knew the next few moments would be crucial. Hearing more thunderous sounds coming closer, I knew they didn't have much time as I instructed all eight of them to head for their ships. Pressing against the subject of protecting me, the woman showed me the fear in her eyes, fear I once understood.

"I know what you're feeling; trust me, I do. But you know how much Leia sees me as an ally. Start looking ahead of it."

"But Jedi Master Djinn-"

"I'll meet you at Ajan Kloss. Go!" I screamed before pushing her away from the sudden blast that I swore came from nowhere as the building shook from the destruction.

Screaming for her to wait, I picked out my parents' sabers before tossing the bag to her. Watching her flee to safety, I managed to use the force only to protect her and my stuff, obviously. Feeling the Knights of Ren coming closer, along with their master himself, I fled the streets and into the building's interior. Racing to ignite each of the groups of bombs planted inside the building months ago, I detonated the main holdings as the rooms above me began to explode, one by one. From across the city, I could feel San's rage, knowing his building was being destroyed. Too bad this was my plan from the start. I knew San worked closely with Ren and the First Order. I knew how both wanted this building because of what housed itself here. But what they would never realize was that I had taken every ounce of dark power from the force here, leaving it just as a dead and empty space, with no worth. Bracing myself behind a broken wall, I felt Ren himself coming closer, and the moment I felt him enter the last of the floors, I jumped out a window and dodged various blaster guns.

With my lightsaber in my hand, I rushed towards where my X-Wing sat for the duration of my time here; little did I know of what would be found there as I rounded the corner to find two of his Knights, Vicrul being one of them. I never wanted the opportunity to introduce myself to any of these guys, but the fact that he made two come near my ship, was hard to ignore. Vicrul and the other named Ap'lek stared me down though I'd never know where their eyes were as the atmosphere shifted into something deadly. I already knew much about each man and knew these two were my most dangerous opponents, next to my lover, their leader. I also knew, though they lacked training in the force, they could still use it. To think, he gave me the worst ones to fight.

"Surrender to the First Order, Jedi scum." Vicrul was the first to speak as I raised a brow in light humor. Pointing my lightsaber at him, he tensed up. I wonder if they could feel the dark side from within me start to rise.

"I believe there are a Master and Gray in there, somewhere." I giggled with deadly humor as they both readied themselves for anything I threw at them. Remembering much about Vicrul, I hadn't learned about the others until my trip here. The knowledge I had on Ap'lek was simple: he relished in deception and strategy, manipulating distractions and misdirection to trap anyone. Too bad, I knew how to manipulate and deceive too. Hell, I was the Queen of it.

"We gave you an order, little girl," Ap'lek yelled as I felt Stormtroopers coming closer as my eyes slightly wandered to that area near me. But with the sudden movement of Vicrul, my eyes meandered back to the two Knights of Ren.

"Oh, I heard you. I just don't fucking care." I said nonchalantly as I shrugged my shoulders. Oddly enough, I did and didn't care. I cared enough not to kill them since Ren obviously needed them for something else. But I didn't care enough because all I wanted was to escape in one piece. But everything changed the moment I felt the other four members of the Knights emerge from behind me. Surrounded by all six members, I only waited for the Master himself as he emerged to the left of me, from behind rubble.

"You boys seriously want to take on the last Jedi Master? Hmm, fine by me. Let's see who's the strongest now." I taunted with humor and venom dripping from my tone as I turned my body to watch each of the Knights before looking straight at Kylo Ren himself. Igniting his crossguard lightsaber, the imperfect plasma blade roared to life.  

"I don't wish to kill you, Amara. But my Knights and I will force you to side with the Force Order if you don't surrender to me now." Ren threatened lowly under his helmet as the mechanical voice erupted and with it, the chuckling from the other members.

All of them wanted to hurt me badly in some severe way. This now included Ren since he figured my plan out to betray him when I blew his building up. As my smile grew wider, the streets we stood on became quite than usual. Raising a brow as if to deceive them, an eruption of music flooded the streets as the song that Monroe thought of began to play. My little smile became a sly smirk as I tapped into the force to activate the bombs under the Knights' road, and I stood on. As the ground shook menacingly, I kept my sight set on Ren as large cracks and craters began to form around the area I stood, which was untouched. 

With intentions to enact the bomb beneath my feet, everyone acted quickly but not enough to stop me as I stabbed my ignited lightsaber into the ground. Igniting the bomb beneath me, which wasn't much of one, to begin with, a soundwave of the force erupted and sent every Knight backward into the street, including Kylo, as it shot me high into the sky. Using the force to direct me toward my opened X-Wing, I landed gracefully into my seat and forced my way off the city grounds.

Tastes like a Cherry Bomb, I spoke into their minds as I flew my ship as fast as I could get it before using the hyperspeed to zoom away. But with each escape came it's warning from Kylo Ren. But this time, his words hit differently.

My Queen wishes to run, be my guest. You know I have my ways of finding you again. We both know I'll never stop hunting you. I'll make sure to destroy everything you plan to run to, leaving only me as your last option. You have no idea about the plans I have for you. 

So, run to the Resistance; they'll be killed off one by one, sooner than you think. Run to the traitors who will never trust you, just like my mother never did. For only I know everything about you.

Watch your thoughts because it seems our bond is even stronger because of last night. 

I wouldn't want you to lose...hope.