toschestation | Empatheias Inbox

[oh. Luke hesitates, the connection they share dimming. His own experience with the Anakin that's returned was less than... hopeful.]

What happened Leia...?

[Her experience was... about par for the course, but that also means her impression of him is just the same as always. Meaning Anakin attacking Ezra is no surprise to her, given how poorly she thinks of him in the first place. But at least in this instance, at least with Luke, she knows better than to say "I told you so."]

A friend of mine, Ezra Bridger, was attacked. I don't know what he did to Ezra, but he's not in good shape.

... oh no.

[Luke deflates, mentally and physically. Of course. He could imagine how and why considering the state Anakin was in when he reappeared.]

Leia I don't know what to say. Is your friend going to be all right? [the name almost tickles at being familiar, too... hm.]

[Even with everything else Leia is feeling about this, and as angry and also unsurprised as she is by Anakin's behavior, there's no repressing the concern she feels at Luke's response. They may not see eye-to-eye on this, but she can at least respect Luke's feelings (as misguided as she thinks they may be), and she knows he no doubt is taking this just as hard as she is, albeit for a different reason perhaps.]

He's being taken care of by Qui-Gon, and I trust that he'll be able to help.

[Because as nosy as Qui-Gon is, and her newly recovering respect for him aside, he likely knows how to take care of things like this.]

I've spoken with him and Obi-Wan, but you needed to know, as well.

[Because it's only fair, and Luke is just as invested in Anakin--probably moreso--than the other two Jedi ever could be.]

...Does Anakin know?

[Well, more about Luke than her, because she knows full well that he doesn't know who she is. She just doesn't know what Luke may have told him.]

...No. I didn't tell him. When I had tried to the first time he was here with us... It didn't go well. I'm not sure it would be a good idea to tell him yet.

[if... at all. And that pains Luke to think about.]

I know you aren't fond of him Leia. But there's a longing I can't really describe. I don't know what to do. He's not...

[not the Anakin they'd met before. Before he'd fallen. It's like this one is in the middle of the freefall. It's frightening, and disappointing at the same time. The only good news here is that Ezra may yet be okay.]

[She's silent for a good while before responding, the only indication she's still listening is the sympathy coming from her side. She may not be "fond of him," as Luke puts it, but she knows he's important to Luke. She can be concerned about Luke while also not feeling the same way on this issue.]

I don't know how much help I can be [because this is how she always thought of Anakin, as someone teetering on the edge and about to turn at the slightest provocation] but if you need someone to listen, I'm here. But, I think if there's any chance at all of helping him, you'll be able to manage it.

[The look on Luke's face is enough to betray his feelings over Leia's words. She's being generous with him, and it's something he didn't expect, nor thinks she should feel she should have to offer him. He knows how she feels about Anakin, so offering her support even in this way is a lot.

And Luke couldn't appreciate it more, even if he would do his best to spare putting his sister in a position like that.]

I know you are Leia. [Luke lets out a sigh.] Right now, we should worry about your friend. if there's anything he may need, I'll do what I can to help. I think I met him before, too. I had no idea you knew a kid like that.

It was years ago, well before I met you and Han. Lothal isn't the most well-off planet, and access to the planet was cut off for some time, thanks to Rebel activity. I was on Lothal to provide relief aid from Alderaan to the people of Lothal. Unfortunately, that Rebel activity led to my ships being stolen.

[and naturally that was half of the real mission in the first place, and she helped Ezra and his friends steal the ships. Not that the aid wasn't important--because it was--but providing the rebel fleet with more ships was just as important. Her voice is a bit wistful, and maybe laced with just the slightest hint of amusement. Because she did have a reputation of her ships being "stolen" by rebel forces back in the day.]

I had no idea you had such an exciting past, Leia. [Right now isn't the time for light hearted jokes. But it does Illustrate to Luke just how little he knows about Leia, especially the time before they were accidentally reunited on the death star.]

But being part of the Rebel Alliance, I guess I'm not really all that surprised. So you met him during that mission?

I've been with the Alliance for as long as I've been able to contribute to the cause.

[whether or not people wanted her involved, there was no doubt she was going to be, even despite her young age. Since taking over Alderaan's seat in the senate, she had been doing everything she could to help the rebellion, and even before then, too, probably.]

But, yes. That's when I met Ezra and the rest of his faction.

You never cease to be amazing Leia.

[he was, indeed, making vroom vroom beep beep noises in his bedroom, at that age FUNNY JOKE or not.]

Was he that young? Or younger? [it's hard to keep track of what ages line up and what other ones don't, ok?]

[One day she'll find out about the vroom vroom beep beep noises, and Luke will never live it down.]

Ezra here is essentially the same age as he was when I met him.

So, from our past then. [It's hard to keep track of, sometimes.]

I hope he'll recover quickly. [in the meantime, perhaps he should look into watching after his father more than he thought he needed to, at first. Hm.]

I hope so, too. I'll share any updates I receive from Qui-Gon about Ezra's state with you. He thinks it looks promising, though.

[Which is a good thing, and Leia is glad for it.]

I'm glad. I trust Qui-Gon's judgement.

I'll be home soon. I'll see you when I'm there?

I don't plan on going anywhere. [which is to say yes, she'll see him when he's home.]

Empatheias Inbox

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject