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happy father's day - blindrun
[Honestly? He's been here wayyy longer than he planned to be. He knew it'd be hard to escape, but it had to be possible. That's what he kept telling himself. Days turned into weeks turned into months and now? It's been over a year.
The other Inquisitors still don't completely treat him like one of them. Or maybe teasing is their way of doing so? He rolls his eyes whenever they call him "baby brother", thinking they could at least have some sense of professionalism. But everything's been going okay for the most part. As okay as it can be when you're an Inquisitor-in-training.
Except today was... well, it was something else. They were assigned to ambush a small rebel cell that was said to be working with a Jedi. It should've been easy, except for the part where it wasn't. The rebels got away and the Inquisitors had failed. Now Ezra's standing outside the Grand Inquisitor's office while the adults debrief. It's frustrating, being left out like this, but he also knows there isn't much he can do about it.]
The other Inquisitors still don't completely treat him like one of them. Or maybe teasing is their way of doing so? He rolls his eyes whenever they call him "baby brother", thinking they could at least have some sense of professionalism. But everything's been going okay for the most part. As okay as it can be when you're an Inquisitor-in-training.
Except today was... well, it was something else. They were assigned to ambush a small rebel cell that was said to be working with a Jedi. It should've been easy, except for the part where it wasn't. The rebels got away and the Inquisitors had failed. Now Ezra's standing outside the Grand Inquisitor's office while the adults debrief. It's frustrating, being left out like this, but he also knows there isn't much he can do about it.]
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[Luckily, his speechlessness is fitting for the situation. Gotta stay in character.]
Do you know what my number will be? What happens when I'm promoted? Is there some initiation? Do I get to work on my own?
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[ his chiding is warm and proud. they're both excited and it's a win he has been working toward with ezra, right beside him. pride swells his heart knowing his apprentice will serve well. ]
There is an initiation you'll be put through starting tomorrow. Once you complete, you will be given your rank - Eleventh Brother. You'll be assigned your own trooper battalion and missions. We'll still work closely together when called on, but otherwise you'll be your own agent.
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[Tomorrow's really soon! It's tomorrow!]
What's the initiation like?
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It isn't easy but you'll pass. [ he sets a hand on ezra's shoulder. ] I've trained you well and you've exceeded all expectations. Soon you'll have all the power I promised you and more. The power to make the changes in your life to your hearts content, unhindered.
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Third Brother, what was your name before? When you were a Jedi.
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[ the hand on ezra's shoulder is pulled back, the room turning cold with his shock. ]
How... who told you that?
[ he doesn't deny because the bigger concern is how he learned of it. ]
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[A lie, considering how trusting he was of Ahsoka. Until this moment, he hadn't even thought of the fact she could be lying herself. But she told the truth about this at least.]
Second Sister's told me a little about initiation, but I was never sure if she was just teasing me. She said she pitied me, having such a weak Inquisitor for a master. "But he was even weaker before," she said. I didn't believe her then, but it's true, isn't it?
What were you like? [Was he happy? Did he have hope? Did he have friends or family?] I'm excited to become Eleventh Brother, but I've only ever been Ezra Bridger. I want to become stronger, like you did.
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I was about your age when I was part of the Jedi Order. [ he leans himself into the desk, a little uncomfortable but not unwilling to speak. ] It isn't so different from what we are as Inquisitors. We were a collective working for the Republic, trained by seasoned Jedi Masters, taken in when we were children from our families.
[ he thins his lips, then adds: ] If that old Order existed, they would have detected your potential as a very young child. So young, you wouldn't even remember your parents when they took you.
[ it feels petty to mention it but he wants to highlight it because ezra's attachment to his parents is so incredibly alien and baffling to him. third brother doesn't have any single memory of them, and that was long before he turned. ]
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[Taking kids away from their families like that doesn't sit right with him, but it's not like the Empire's been so great when it comes to families either. Besides, Ahsoka's not a Jedi.]
And you still haven't told me your name, you know.
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[And he's trying to redeem him, maybe.]
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so slowly his lips flutter, as if he's about to speak, but... his expression slowly turns pained, and something chokes up in his throat. he breathes in harsh through his nose and brings a hand to his throat. nothing is happening, neither in here nor outside the room, but it feels like he's being strangled as his chest constricts and his breath shortens. ]
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[Despite everything, despite the fact he's planning to escape tomorrow, he can't stop himself from being concerned.]
Are you alright?!
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[ even saying that much strains and burns in his mouth, as he has to grip one of the chairs for support to not collapse. his every instinct turns to flight, demanding he run, run for his life as he always has. but you can't run from the empire. you can never run away, it's hopeless, there's nothing out there--
he eyes tighten close, burning hot, and he snaps them open - a burning yellow as the whites of his eyes turn to black. ]
Ezra -- go. Now.
[ his voice is weak, strangle still tight, as a surge of hate and loathing threatens to expel out from him. he's losing his grip and feels his vision going red. ]
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[Ezra moves closer to him, placing a hand on Third Brother's shoulder in an attempt to stabilize him.]
I'm not leaving you.
[His presence shifts, the dark giving way to light and flowing through him towards his master.]
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[ he can feel that light, far too pure, burn as it flows into him. his hand snaps to grab the one on his shoulder, grip tightening strong around ezra's wrist. he seethes and snarls, glaring with killer intent. ]
You never think! Do you even know what you're doing?! How do you expect to be an Inquisitor when you channel the light side!
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I'm trying to help you! You're in pain!
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[ he's not taking no for an answer. his other hand lifts up and curls, as a chokehold wraps around ezra's neck. ]
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Ezra reaches inside his mind, for a memory, for something, anything from before. It's a distraction, yes, but he also wants to know who his master was before the dark side took its hold of him.]
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in the memory pulled a battle rages on. men in armor not unlike that of storm troopers, yet distinct in the dark steel color and red accents, fire at two jedi. one an older woman, her voice strong yet resolute as she crisply delivers her order. the other a young teenager, close to ezra's age, who stands behind her as she swiftly deflects each blast the soldiers fire on her. she wields a green light saber with precision and focus, but she is outnumbered.
Go. I'll be right behind you.
he knows she is lying, the first time she ever has, and still with hesitation in his heart he turns to run for the nearby hills in the dark. some of the soldiers begin to direct their blasters on him, but he only turns to look once he's up the hill--
--in time to see her gunned down by a soldier that circled around from behind. he does not scream, frozen in horror as the reality of what has happened begins to hit him. the soldiers look up to him and he turns to run again. he flees into the woods, a plan coming up in his mind to hide in the foliage and curl up to avoid detection.
it's a plan that never sees execution, as a round of blaster fire hits his ankle and throws him to the ground. he scrambles to get up but it's too late, as one of the soldiers rushes to grab him. he screams, activating his saber to swing and cuts through them with panic. another fires at him and he deflects it back, the blast hitting them. the third, however, manages to blast another round at him - set to stun.
he falls back, body shuddering and stopping, and all he can do is look up as the clone soldier walks over and stares him down.
This is CC-10/994. Jedi Master Depa Billaba down. Jedi Padawan C̣͆̋͜a̧̢̗̠̟͍̒̿̏̀̅͟͡͡l̫̩̜̻̘̈̈́͐́͘͢͠e̢̛̙̯̿͋b̢̐ ͇̼̮̗͋̄̄̄D͚̪̘͂̊͝u̹̹͚͍̰̼̙̽͛̅͆̍͘̚m͕̟̩̯̦̐̒̑͑̕e̢̛̫̰̣̪̐̈́̅̒ apprehended. ]
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third brother snaps from the memory, the echo of his trauma, and with both hands shoves to slam ezra against the wall and hold him there. ]
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He refocuses himself, remembers where he is, who's in front of him. His voice is still weak, not having enough time to recover from being choked.]
I'm sorry... Caleb.
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[ cold and without emotion, his heart shuts off and his irises glow with yellow as the hatred he held back breaks through the dam he built up to keep himself collected. he hods ezra against the wall, black veins crawling out from his eyes, looking less and less human by the moment. ]
I am Third Brother, and soon you will be Eleventh Brother. I will no longer tolerate your rebelliousness. You will join us, or you will die. You have exhausted my mercy.
[ there is no choice, only an absolute. ]
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