“Another juma juice.” Rose said as she had pounded down her fifth drink in one of Coruscant's many cantinas. Since her willing departure from the Jedi Order several months ago, she'd spent her days taking in the local scene of the vast planet, moving from one apartment to the next and taking any job to keep herself fed and housed. There was quite the bit of work for an enforcer who could intimidate most by simply brandishing a Jedi's signature weapon. Her new green, modified mercenary armor didn't seem to hurt either as most gave her a wide berth even when she was just enjoying a few drinks.
“You sure you haven't had enough?” the bartender questioned as he cleaned a glass. “That's not the weak stuff, you know.”
“I said another drink!” She slammed her hand hard on the table and soon the proprietor of the bar complied reluctantly and filled her glass. Rose lifted the drink to her mouth but as it got close to it's intended target, the glass and it's contents floated across the room. She spun to see the glass settled down softly at a table in the corner of the room where a cloaked figure sat quietly and staggered across the room.
“So, this is where once promising Padawans come to spend their days.” Said a woman's voice as the figure lifted the drink with her right hand which was clearly cybernetic in nature.
Rose gripped the weapon at her side that was partially hidden by her loose fitting garments as she neared the table. “You picked the wrong place, Jedi.”
“Perhaps,” she quickly finished the drink before turning her attention back to Rose and removing her hood to reveal a woman with dark purple skin, a slightly lighter colored mohawk hair style and a scar over her right eye. “Or perhaps I'm exactly where I want to be.”
“Master Tempest? Well I must say this is a surprise. Come to rein me in by the Council, or perhaps they simply want this back.” Rose tightly gripped the weapon clutched to her hip.
Tempest's gaze turned to the red haired girl, her calm, almost ice cold demeanor, never changing. “The Council has nothing to do with this. I am here of my own accord.”
“That being?”
“I merely wanted to gauge where you are at.”
Rose chuckled a bit as she slumped into the seat. “Here is where I'm at. Spending my days in dives like this, no offense.” The bartender shrugged nonchalantly. “And devoting myself to the criminal scum of the most corrupt planet in the galaxy. Oh how far the mighty have fallen.”
“You fail to give yourself credit where it is due. I have been following your exploits since leaving the temple and if I'm being honest, the reputation of a ruthless mercenary does not quite fit in line with your actions. Protecting merchants from robbery, recovering stolen property, escorting families through the less savory areas. Doesn't exactly scream death and destruction, does it?”
“Just because I left the Order doesn't mean I won't do good for others when I can. I didn't leave because I don't believe what the Jedi should stand for. I left...well, you know the story, don't you?”
“I've read the reports. Sandalwood was a good friend and I understand how you feel but is this really the way? What you do here is truly commendable, I won't argue that. With that said, this is a turbulent time in the galaxy and with all that is happening, we'll be needed now more than ever and I could use the help of someone with your conviction for a special assignment.”
Rose stayed silent for a moment before she exited the booth. “Like I said, I'm done. Sorry you wasted your time.” As she headed back to the bar an emergency bulletin flashed across one of the screens above that immediately caught her attention.
Earlier
Flash Sentry lay in his cell in the capital planet's largest prison, simply staring up at the ceiling as one of the few ways to pass the time until his sentencing. Being the sole person left to be charged with the crime of attacking a Republic vessel that resulted in the deaths of several of it's soldiers and a Jedi master, his odds weren't good. “Sentry, you got a visitor.” the guard said as he pounded on the wall around the ray shield that kept the prisoner contained. A few seconds later a familiar face appeared in the doorway as the field shut off. “Five minutes.”
“Thank you.” Sunset Shimmer said as she walked in and the ray shield turned back on. “Flash, it's been a while.”
“Master Shimmer. To what do I owe this unexpected visit?” Flash didn't consider the presence of the Jedi worthy enough for him to make the effort to sit up.
“I just came to talk.”
“I've already been interrogated by your fellow Jedi goons. So maybe you should talk to them if you want to know what went down.”
“That's not what I'm here for.”
Only after that response did the prisoner sit up and face Sunset. “Oh, so you came to get a good laugh in? Go ahead. The humor of this situation isn't lost on me. Flash Sentry, once one of the elite senate guard, now rotting in a cell, a lowly mercenary. You know it wasn't that long ago when our positions would have been reversed. The only difference is that the courts won't be as forgiving as your Jedi friends.”
“Flash, whatever happened, whatever you've done, I know the old you is still in there. Believe me, if there is anything I can do to help...”
“Please, don't do me any favors.” Before further words were spoken, a female guard with a golden scarf covering the lower part of her face, lowered the shield and entered.
“Sorry ma'am but we need to move him.”
Sunset gave a raised eyebrow in response. “For what purpose?”
“I don't know ma'am. Orders came from higher up. Not my place to question. Let's go slime ball.” She grabbed him by his arm, pulled him to his feet and dragged him out of the cell, leaving Sunset to ponder before sensing something wasn't quite right.
“Wait,” Before she could say anything further, the ray shield kicked back in, locking her in the cell. “Hey!” She ignited her saber and slashed at the perimeter of the wall around the shield with no effect as the walls in this prison were designed for maximum impact and heat resistance. Left with no other alternative, she did the one thing she could. “Guards! Guards, help!”
As the alarm was soon to be sounded, the convict and the “guard” raced down the hall. “Pick up the pace, Sentry. We're getting paid good money to haul your carcass off.”
“We?” Flash questioned as the two entered the elevator and she hacked the controls to take them directly to the landing pad.
“Yes, we.” Removing the scarf, Flash immediately recognized his rescuer.
“Lyra Heartstrings. Guess that means Bonnie is not that far behind.” The doors opened as the two exited out to the landing zone where the other woman was waiting in a speeder on the far end of the platform.
“You'd be right about that. Now let's go.” As they made their way toward their escape craft, a trio of guards along with Sunset Shimmer emerged from the building and opened fire on the duo as they raced forward. They ducked to behind a cluster of crates as Lyra drew her blaster pistol and began to exchange with their pursuers. She handed Flash a spare weapon out of her belt. “You still know how to use one of these, right?”
Flash chuckled to himself. “Don't insult me.” The two traded shots with the guards as Sunset took charge and rushed forward, deflecting the shots coming her way and eventually made it to their position. Lyra attempted to shoot the Jedi who blocked the shot back to her and knocked the weapon from her hand. Sunset force pushed her against the crates and knocked her out before she spun around and kicked the blaster from Flash's hand. “I can see you're disappointed.” the blue haired young man joked with the Jedi's blade pointed toward him.
The getaway driver saw the escape plan quickly falling apart. “What a surprise. I sent her in alone and expected everything to turn out. Well, Bon Bon, time for the problem solver.” She leaned over to pull out her heavy blaster rifle and fired on Sunset who quickly jumped out of the way, which left Flash to curl into a ball to avoid being hit by the rapid blaster fire that came his way. Lyra came to and scrambled to grab her quarry and pulled him to his feet as the two bolted for the craft which was already lifting off. The two tumbled into the backseat of the speeder as the blaster bolts flew over their heads and the driver lifted the speeder off.
“Get some more speeders in the air. I'll do what I can.” Sunset used her Jedi speed and reflexes to hop onto the back of the ship as the guards called for backup.
“Sorry we're not taking hitchhikers at this time.” Bon Bon said as she spun around and fired a pellet from her wrist gauntlet that hit Sunset in the chest. The projectile dissolved into a green gas cloud that began to choke the Jedi as she lost consciousness and slipped off the back of the craft and into the sky ways of Coruscant. As her body drifted down between the many crisscrossing vehicles through the near infinite sky, it was soon snatched up by another speeder.
“I got her.” Rose called out as she fastened an unconscious Sunset into the back seat as Tempest flew the speeder and did her best to keep up with the three offenders.
As the trio made their escape, Flash climbed into the front seat next to Bon Bon. “Eight months,” He stated as she kept her eyes trained on the skies. “Eight months you got me waiting in prison. Do you have any idea what it was like in their?”
“Don't start with me,” she snapped back. “You're lucky we came here at all, because, despite what you may believe to the contrary, our lives don't revolve around you.”
“Uh, guys?” Lyra called out as the two continued to argue.
“Oh, now don't start that again. 'Oh I'm an independent woman and blah blah blah.'” Flash fired back as Lyra persisted in getting their attention.
“Guys?”
“You know what?” Bon Bon responded. “If it wasn't for Lyra and her big heart, I would have let you rot in that prison or worse."
“Guys!”
“What?!” the two bickering criminals shouted as they turned back to Lyra, who was pointing to a speeder above them as Tempest jumped on the back of their craft and ignited her green lightsaber. Lyra attempted to bring her gun to bare, only for Tempest's blade to cut it in half. Flash fired his own weapon only for the shot to be deflected into the steering controls.
“You idiot!” Bon Bon yelled as she struggled to get the vehicle under control. Flash, ignoring her, fired several more shots as the Jedi either evaded or blocked them. At the same time, Lyra pulled out a stun stick and used it to attack her target's legs. All the while, Bon Bon did everything in her power to keep the vehicle from careening into a building or another speeder as the landing pad with their starship came into view. “This is not going to be good.” Tempest and the others braced as they crashed onto the pad and she was thrown a good distance from the wreck, her blade rolling over the side.
“Let's go!” Lyra said as she staggered to her feet and helped up Bon Bon and Flash. Before they could make good on their getaway, Rose landed her speeder between them and the ship. She jumped out and ignited her blade.
“You aren't going anywhere.” she stated coldly as her icy gaze was aimed at Flash.
“We don't have time for this.” Bon Bon opened fire with her blaster rifle as the rapid fire forced Rose to flee across the platform as the hunter attempted to land her shots. “Let's go while we...” The group was shocked as Tempest was already up and on the other side of them, albeit with an apparently injured left leg. “Never mind.”
Flash fired at the Jedi who avoided the shots and used the force to knock him off his feet. Lyra rushed forward with her shock stick only to be disarmed by the Jedi who flipped her over her shoulder and gave a swift punch to her chest that put her to sleep.
“Lyra!” Bon Bon shouted as she turned her attention from the padawan she was battling and turned her blaster fire on Tempest who had no answer for the rapid projectiles coming her way. She was hit with at least twenty shots before finally falling.
Rose saw this and screamed out in shock as flashes of what had transpired months earlier flooded her mind. The shock soon turned to rage as she charged toward Bon Bon. Her thrown lightsaber quickly ended the long range fight as the energy blade sliced the hunter's weapon in two. She tossed the now useless weapon away as the Jedi advanced, and fired another of the green pellets. It didn't turn out nearly as well as the first time as Rose dodged it and was soon in range as the two engaged in hand to hand combat.
The hunter had the edge as she stomped on the girl's foot before she delivered several hard punches to her stomach and then one to the head. It did nothing to stop the Jedi as she came back with a flurry of force enhanced punches that bypassed the armor plating worn by Bon Bon and then blasted her with a force push strong enough that it not only blasted the armor away, it nearly put her over the ledge of the platform. Rose called her saber back to her and approached the barely conscious woman and lifted her blade to deliver the final blow.
“Rose, stop!” She turned slightly to see a reawakened Sunset on shaky legs. “You don't want to do this.”
“Stay out of this, Shimmer. No one else is going to die today.”
“No. They aren't.” Both were shocked as Tempest was back on her feet. Her robes were in tatters but underneath the traditional Jedi wear was a black armor with blue glowing lines running through it. “Temper your rage. If you let it control you, you're no better than the Sith that murdered your master. Don't let all the good that you've accomplished be undone in one moment of subjugation to the darkside.”
Rose kept the blade in it's position, although hesitating on what to do. “I-I can feel it's power coursing through me.”
“Then command it, not the other way around.” Tempest waited patiently as Sunset watched with a concerned look. A few moments later, she shut off the blade and lowered it back to her side. Before any of them realized it, the starship lifted off and began it's departure as they saw that Flash was nowhere to be found.
Rose looked up to the escaping vessel, closed her eyes and sighed calmly. “We'll get him...eventually.”
Later
Flash's joyous exodus was anything but as, despite the fact that he'd slipped out of the authorities grasp, he'd found the ship had been locked into autopilot and he could do little but sit back and wait for it to reach it's destination. About a day's journey later, the ship finally touch down on a refueling station on a foggy swamp planet. The station had clearly seen better days as large vines choked many of the machines and rust had eaten away at just about everything. The only sign off habitation was a series of lights that acted as a guide “Finally.” Flash cautiously disembarked after the hatch opened and followed the lights into the lone building. As he walked, he noted just how creepy the location was before finally stopping in a large, throne like room that the lights led him too. “You'd think, Bon would pick a place with a bit more style.”
“Feels like home to us.” He turned in shock to see a blue skinned girl with tattoos standing right behind him.
“Sonata? What are you...?”
“Welcome to our little home away from home.” He looked up as a purple skinned girl with descended a stairwell on the opposite side of the room. A wicked smile on her face was made all the more menacing by the lightning that danced between her fingers.
“A-Aria.” He attempted to back away only to remember that the other darksider was blocking his path.
“You're a hard man to get a hold of. Now that we've got you here, I think it's time we have a little chat...about Adagio.” The door to the room closed, leaving the young man to their mercy, or lack thereof.
Equus
On the remote planet, Tempest stood before the Council of Harmony as she awaited their response. “While we understand why you are making this request, are you certain it's a good idea?” Rarity asked.
“Rose has issues but I believe she truly wishes to do what is right. And I am certain enough to make her my padawan learner.” Tempest's response caused Applejack to take notice.
“That's noble of you, but the council forbids taking on more than one apprentice at a time. You know that.”
Tempest nodded in confirmation. “I am well aware. That said, Lightning Dust is well on her way through the trials as we speak and I have every reason to believe that she will pass. She no longer requires my guidance, but Rose does. You may see a risk in training her again. I see a far greater risk in simply leaving her be.”
“I agree with Master Shadow.” Sunset stepped forward, joining Tempest. “If anyone can help Rose on this difficult path, she is that one.”
After a bit of deliberation, the council came to a consensus, Twilight delivering the decision. “Master Tempest Shadow, we have decided to fulfill your request. Rose will be your apprentice.”
The scarred Jedi humbly bowed. “Thank you, masters.” Sunset followed suit as the two exited the chamber. “And thank you, Sunset Shimmer.”
“I know what it's like to need a hand. I think you can be that for Rose.”
“I certainly hope so.”
Sometime later, Rose was in her old room, collecting her things in a sack. She stared up as she sensed someone in the doorway. “What do you want?”
“I-I just wanted to say...I'm glad you're back.” The meek voice of Fluttershy said as Rose didn't turn to her. The pink haired girl noted her bag. “You aren't staying?”
Rose sighed as stuffed more into the sack. “Master Tempest has been given special assignment to the Outer Rim and I am to accompany her on it.”
“Oh,” A bit of disappointment sounded in her voice. “I just thought we might...”
“Master.” The conversation ended as Fluttershy's young apprentice, formerly the Sith Lord Adagio, came into the room. “I was looking for...oh.” She hesitated and clung to her master as she saw the red haired girl in the room.
“I need to go.” The hate in Rose's voice was evident as she slung the bag over her shoulder and walked toward the two. The young girl clung to Fluttershy and hid her face as the older padawan who hated her for no seemingly apparent reason, marched passed, glaring at her all the while. After having made her way down the hall, she bumped into her new master.
“Rose, are you ready to depart?” Tempest asked as she noticed the other two down the hall.
“The sooner the better.”