1) Intro/Catch-all

[ezra_of_lothal]

Who: Ezra and OTA + Closed prompt below
What: Ezra getting acquainted with Trench
When: Through the month of January
Where: Throughout Trench

Content Warnings: Will be tagged in subject lines as needed.



1. Some Light Parkour

Ezra has been skulking around urban spaces since he was seven. He's long since figured out that even back then, he must have less than consciously used the Force to climb and jump and hide.

The Force feels a little different here - or his connection to it does. Despite the adage of 'do or do not do', he figures approaching testing what the state of his abilities is now with a little trial and error is best. So, at some point, he just picks a roof to aim for and jumps.

"Still got it," he mutters triumphantly, once he's landed about 12 feet higher than he was a second ago.

And then, later, he tries falling. Obviously, he needs to be a little more careful. Even if he doesn't seriously hurt himself - bleeding's an issue, apparently?

He can't let himself overthink it. He drops from one of the lower overhangs, at least. Ok maybe he should have been little more careful because -

"Sorry! You ok?"

2.Some Adjustment Required

There's more people here. Ok, Capital City had had more people than this, and he's been to plenty of places even more crowded. But still people's feelings here feel....louder.

Which is why he ends curled up with a hand over his face, with what feels awfully like a migraine coming on.

3. Nevermore

Not-human intelligence and interest hovered on the edge of his awareness, so he reaches out mentally a little, looking around physically as well. And then - connection.

He reaches an arm up. "Hello," he says, warmly, to the raven who swoops down to perch on his cloaked forearm.

[OOC:Want to work out a different prompt? Hit me up at skipthedemon

Comments

[ezra_of_lothal]

[He makes a face, chagrined.]

I really didn't mean to come and dump on you.

[But it is, in fact, not everything that was troubling him.

Oh, he's never been as afraid of Vader as maybe he should be. His concern is for Obi-wan, for Anakin, for everyone else- and can't really predict how Obi-wan will react, here, so with as much measured, quiet calm as he can muster-]

Ariadne said Anakin is here.

[jedies]

[ ah. obi-wan nods. ]

He is. He's recuperating at the moment.

[ezra_of_lothal]

[A perfectly civil answer that tells him basically nothing. Maybe he should have expected that. He'd just - well, he'd gotten a little used to that tactic that not being used on him.

Obi-wan has been, is being kind, but doesn't know him, Ezra reminds himself.]

That sounds...not bad? [He eyes Obi-wan.] I wasn't entirely clear on what's been going on.

Look. Just. I don't really know him. But I do know a lot of people who care about him.

Are you ok?

[jedies]

I'm all right.

Anakin had a lapse due to the corruption that pervades this place. And some knowledge of the future made it difficult to see if there was a way out for him. A better future.

[ezra_of_lothal]

Corruption. [He mulls that over a second.]

Well, I knew this place reminded me a little of Dathomir and Malachor, but, um, more people layered on top.

[Then he rubs a hand over the back of his neck.]

I want to help, but is the best thing to do just stay away, then?

[jedies]

I'm not sure if there is any way to help at the moment. Anakin needs to find his own answers and come to terms with the things he did.

But you're welcome to speak to him. Perhaps it'll help to hear that other people are concerned.

[ezra_of_lothal]

[Tenses and travel through time and space are making this conversation difficult.]

...if they were here and now, I'm sure they would be, anyway.

Being reminded that my family cared about me helped me.

[jedies]

[ his expression softened. ]

I've always found that to be true.

butting in

[facultative]

[There's a creak as the door is opened and Anakin steps into the room.]

Why are you talking about me?

[He doesn't look happy to hear that he's being gossiped about. He doesn't know how much he's missed and if Obi-Wan has been saying anything bad about him.]

Re: butting in

[ezra_of_lothal]

[He thought he'd sensed that distinct signature in the Force he's started to associated with Skywalkers being around. So, he manages not to startle, and gives Anakin a bow.]

Master Skywalker. [That's the proper address from a padawan to a knight they've just met, right? He thinks that's right. But then he smiles, because he can't keep up formal for long.]

I'm new here. We were talking about people I'm, well, familiar with, at least.

[jedies]

[ obi-wan rolls his eyes briefly at anakin. ]

He's here to say hi. He's a padawan from the Jedi Order.

[facultative]

[None of that makes him any happier and he continues to stare at Ezra with suspicion.] I've never seen you around before.

[While there's no reason to doubt his story, Anakin isn't buying it just yet.]

Who are you? And who's your master?

[ezra_of_lothal]

[He shoots Obi-wan a look somewhere between gratitude and confusion. Anakin isn't asking anything Obi-wan hadn't, but it feels different.]

I'm Ezra Bridger. You- you wouldn't know me. In your native time, I probably haven't even been born yet. Luke and I would be born nearly the same time, I think. [Maybe even the same day - he's not quite sure.]

My master was Kanan Jarrus. You'd know him as Caleb Dume.

[jedies]

[ anakin wouldn't know, so obi-wan clarifies. ]

Caleb was Depa's padawan. He took one of my classes a while back. An extremely bright individual.

[facultative]

[This all seems very reasonable and everything seems to match up. Anakin still doesn't like it for one reason.]

That's strange because the Order doesn't exist in your time.

[The Force cools, responding to Anakin's emotions and he visibly struggles to reign it in.]

[ezra_of_lothal]

[The shift in the Force is even more uncomfortable. It's not the ice cold he could feel from kilometers away, when Vader was near, he tells himself.

Even if it was, he'd still square his shoulders and set his expression into determination.]

There are Jedi that survived. Kanan was one of them. He offered to teach me, and then he did. [The corner of his mouth turns down, while he shoves down grief.] Until he was killed in action. A few days after that, I was taken out of the galaxy, to a place...not unlike this in some ways. There were Jedi there, and I continued my training with them.

[Not looking at Obi-wan again at that point takes some effort, but he manages it.]

Now I'm here, reaching out to the Jedi here. What's strange about any of that?

[jedies]

Nothing.

[ obi-wan shoots anakin a querulous look that translates very clearly that he is on thin ice at the moment. ]

The Order has always been more than a place and a council. If Jedi have survived, then it lives on. No matter what form it takes on.

[facultative]

[Anakin smothers his roiling emotions. There's no accepting and releasing this right now.]

Then you don't want to be telling me about any of this.

[He looks back at Obi-Wan daring him to say something now.]

[ezra_of_lothal]

[The padawan shoots Obi-wan a quick, warm smile, before he refocuses on Anakin, gaze level.]

Because, if you choose to serve Palpatine, you might use it against me and other surviving Jedi?

[He shrugs.] Maybe. [And there are definitely some things he won't willingly tell anyone here.]

But I see it this way - either what's between your time and mine can't be changed - in which case, I haven't told you anything you won't know by then anyway.

Or it can be changed, or at least diverge to a new timeline, and your future isn't written yet.

[jedies]

[ obi-wan smiles at ezra. ]

Precisely. The future is always in motion.

[facultative]

[He expects this from Obi-Wan. They've discussed this already and while Anakin wants it to be true, he still thinks it's wishful thinking.

No one's minds will be changed today.]

Fine. But remember you're betting with other people's lives.

[ezra_of_lothal]

[Ezra studies him for a moment, still not sure what to make of this conversation. Some part of Anakin clearly still cares, he thinks, or Anakin wouldn't bother to give that warning.]

I'll be careful.

...There's something I want to show you. I guess I shouldn't explain much, but I think you'd both be happy to see it.

[jedies]

[ obi-wan crosses his arms. ]

By all means.

[facultative]

[Anakin unconsciously mimicks Obi-Wan by doing the same although he's far less welcoming.]

What is it?

[ezra_of_lothal]

"A holopicture." He pulls a small holo-display out of his pocket. His sense of drama and timing wants to keep it a surprise, but he eyes Anakin's body language, sighs heavily, and explains.

"It's a picture I snagged of Ahsoka and Rex. A while back. From home."

He has more pictures than that, of a lot of people, but if he's paying any attention to keeping secrets for safety's sake, he shouldn't show those.