A disturbance in the Force

[avaricious]

Who: Greed, Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka
Broadcast: None
Action: The Huntress
When: Immediately after this thread, ambiguously dated to when it's done??

[The Philosopher's Stone inside of Greed was an unpleasant place to be and few truly had the strength of will to last their long. That Ling had lasted there for months was beyond unusual. When Ahsoka went inside the stone to find him, she proved less fortunate when lost and vindictive souls dragged her into the torrent. For all that Greed might have been, he lacked the empathy to truly interact and distinguish between the well of souls stored inside him and so she became lost.

It was these very circumstances that led to a frantic Greed carrying the young Togruta woman the short distance from his own room to nearly kicking down the door leading into Obi-Wan Kenobi's own chambers. He didn't say anything, but he'd found himself in a second disaster just as devastating as the one that started all of this. It was his expectation that the Jedi would be able to fix this. If he couldn't - then who could?]

Comments

[beardstrokes]

[ He turns to Greed and for the first time, one can see the flickers of anger. Still, he leashes it as well as he could. ]

What happened?

[avaricious]

[For once, Greed isn't difficult. After the transmutation rebounded, he had been too insensible to be of much use. But he was clearheaded now, even if he was no less lost. She remained in his arms and he didn't tear his attention away from her, even if he was seeking help from another.]

She was inside the stone. Looking for the prince. [His hands tighten around the fabric of her clothing.] ... instead, they pulled her in. Those bastards wouldn't let go of her.

[beardstrokes]

[ He almost wanted to say, "And you let her?" But the truth is no one lets Ahsoka do anything. If she put her mind to something, there's little anyone can do to stop her.

He can't sense her in her body. But she was still present in the Force. That gives him a little hope. ]

Put her on the bed. And I want to take a look at this stone.

[ And he won't take no for an answer. ]

[avaricious]

[Normally he would bristle at an order like that. He is after all the captain of this ship. Yet images flash in his mind of seeing his old crew torn to pieces by King Bradley. That had been of his own making. He wasn't going to let that happen again.

So Ahsoka is placed on the bed while he stands aside, his jaw tight and his fists trembling with impotent fury - not at Obi-Wan, but at his own ineptitude.]

... if you go in there, the same thing will happen to you. She already proved that.

[beardstrokes]

Perhaps.

[ But no matter how many leaps and bounds Ahsoka has made lately, even though her abilities may range closer to that of a Jedi Knight - Obi-Wan was still the Master. He closes his eyes, reaching out with the Force. There . . . a tenuous link connecting the body and the soul together. Ahsoka was still fighting, still holding on. But against a multitude of souls . . . there will be no victory.

Greed has a point. Going in alone is far too dangerous. But Obi-Wan doesn't need to do it alone. ]

Perhaps she should have asked for backup. I'll need to contact Anakin. Both of us should be able to connect with Ahsoka's soul and retrieve it.

[avaricious]

[He didn't like trusting Obi-Wan to do this, but calling in a stranger as well didn't sit well with him. At the same time, he was only too aware that time was of the essence just then. The worst possible thing Ahsoka could be doing was resisting and he could tell from the turmoil inside of him that she was doing just that. Ling had survived that torrent by surrendering to it and learning to adapt to that chaos. But the more Ahsoka fought, the closer she would come to having her own soul burned up. As for what would be left in its place, he could not begin to say.

He swore under his breath before finally nodding his consent. It was no use condemning Obi-Wan to that same fate if there was a choice.]

Make it fast. She won't last long.

[beardstrokes]

[ He nods, reaching for his communicator. It shouldn't take long for Anakin to get here. In fact, he'd be surprised if Anakin wasn't already on his way. ]

[sandhate]

[ Someone had gutted him. That is what it felt like. He can't tell who or what but he knew three things: Ahsoka, Huntress and now. Obi-Wan didn't need to reach for his communicator, Anakin was already there, blindly following the all too faint Force presence of his former padawan.

Adrenaline pumped through his veins, but he paused and he stared at the scene in front of him. Some guy, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka on the bed, but so little of her actually there. ]

What-- No. No. [ Anakin brush past both of them and knelt by the bed, his hands on Ahsoka's shoulders, as if he could shake her awake. He just got her back. ] Ahsoka? Ahsoka!

[ He kept his hands soft on her shoulders and didn't dare to look at either of the other two in the room. ] What is going on?

[avaricious]

[Well, that had been quick. Greed steps aside when the other enters, though he remains glowering in the corner. But his presence was not easily ignored. Within him was a thousand wretched souls, all writing within one another and inside that mass, Ahsoka had managed to lose herself. It was an unsettling and sickening presence.]

She's not dead.

[Yet. He looks to Obi-Wan, seeming to expect him to explain.]

[beardstrokes]

[ Obi-Wan carefully places a hand on Anakin's shoulder, remaining calm in the face of Anakin's anguish and fear. ]

She's still there, Anakin. The link between her body and soul is still there. But she's trapped . . . [ He glances at Greed. ] somewhere else. She needs our help.

[sandhate]

I know that! [ He snaps and push himself up. Anakin glares at Greed; the man is like nothing he's ever felt before. But right now, he doesn't care. Two quick steps brings him almost face to face to Greed and he snarls a frustrated noise, hands itching but remains clenched at his side. ]

How?

[ He turns to Obi-Wan in case he does act and punches Greed ]

[avaricious]

[This is wasting time. For once Greed is not impatient for his own sake, but because he knows time is not on Ahsoka's side. A loose cannon like this wasn't going to do anyone any good.]

We don't exactly have time to go into the details. [He tilts his head to look at Obi-Wan.] I'm not sure this guy is going to be much help. Those souls are agitated enough already.

[Adding someone like Anakin Skywalker was like trying to put out a fire with gasoline.]

[beardstrokes]

[ To Greed. ] Anakin has the strongest bond with Ahsoka. He'll be able to reach her while I keep them centered.

[ Firmly, to both of them. ]

Anakin, Ahsoka dove in to find a particular soul but she's trapped among the multitude. We need to act now. We're going to use the Force to project ourselves in there and pull her out. Focus on her and the Force. I'll make sure we don't lose ourselves.

[sandhate]

[ He's shaking his head at Greed at even the suggestion of leaving him out of it when Obi-Wan speaks.

Then it hits him that he sucks at any kind of Force projections but a quick glance at Ahsoka tells him he will have to be a master at it now. ]

Then let's do it now.

[avaricious]

[Obi-Wan's plan is sound enough, but he remains skeptical. He might trust Ahsoka or Obi-Wan access into the Philosopher's Stone, but Anakin is an unknown.]

Just remember, the rest of the souls in there belong to me. Don't get any ideas about trying to destroy them while looking for her.

[Already remembering the instruction Ahsoka had given him before, he lapses into one of Ling's more familiar meditative stances on the floor. He doesn't have anything like the Jedi or even Ling Yao's spiritual sensitivity to be able to guide anything much more beyond that. The posture is all display, no substance. He's no more open or closed than he was before. But hell, if it helps then he'll try.]

[beardstrokes]

[ Obi-Wan nods to them both, taking up his position. He sits down crossing his legs and waits for Anakin to do the same. ]

Ready when you are.

[sandhate]

[ He nods and sits opposite of Obi-Wan. And breathes, focusing on the Force around them.

She'll be okay. They'll make sure of it, or die trying probably ]

[avaricious]

[Much as Ahsoka had discovered, the Philosopher's Stone was unlike most anything else in the universe. It was its own condensed world set apart from everything else, though it was more like hell than the heavens. The two Jedi were plunged into a well of innumerable souls. They moved around the outer edges of their container like a river searching for any outlet, but never able to find a way out. In this form they appeared like red ribbons of blood, shadows cast where their eyes and mouth might otherwise be. They might be mistaken only for an illusion were it not for the nearly deafening chorus of wails that went on without pause.

Chief in the center of all of them was a single soul - or perhaps a mass of them masquerading as one entity. This was Greed's true form, an unworldly toothy presence who watched the two Jedi interlopers. When he spoke, his voice came from every single corner of this inner universe. With him was one other soul indistinguishable from the rest, but clearly under his protection.]

By now there will be no telling her apart from the rest of them. I don't know how she figured out how to see their faces, but she was able to find my partner among them.

[beardstrokes]

Ahsoka has other senses. She would have recognized his signature.

[ Slowly, tentative, Obi-Wan reaches out with his own Force signature, sifting through the masses. Ahsoka, can you hear us? Ahsoka! ]

[sandhate]

[ It's not a good feeling, being submerged in this. It's tiring from the moment he reached in. Too loud. Too much. All at once. But they are Jedi. And stubborn. Anakin focuses on her, that speck of her signature among the hoard. He hears a faint whisper, someone who sounds like just her behind him.

Ahsoka.

He's not sure if it is her though. Her signature is too faint and everything else was overwhelming. Desperation makes the choice for him; he swears he hears her and he chases after the voice.

Ahsoka!

By the time he realize it's definitely not her, he's not sure where he is anymore. All he knows, all he can feel is something dragging at him. He's swearing in Huttese without realizing and drawing on the Force pull himself out. ]

[avaricious]

[Through the Force, these wretched souls reveal their former selves through proximity. What hadn't been Ahsoka ends up being the shell of an old woman clinging desperately to Anakin's arm. She is unclothed, shriveled and emaciated. Though she stares at Anakin with sorrowful and urgent eyes, they are pure white and she does not seem to truly see him. This does not stop her from urgently repeating the same words again and again.

My child. My child. My child.

She is looking for him. Her child. Who she was or who her child was is lost to time. Impassively Greed observes, but says nothing. The identities of these souls has no meaning to him.]

Careful. She did the same thing. Make too much of a scene and they'll all start swarming on you.

[beardstrokes]

[ That makes it trickier. How could they get Ahsoka's attention without stirring up all the souls? Obi-Wan pauses, trying to discover a solution until it hits him. ]

Anakin, use a memory. Something only Ahsoka would know or react to. That'll help us locate her.

[sandhate]

[ He chokes back the horror, the reminder of his mother.

Ahsoka. He needs to find Ahsoka. His mind runs through all the conversations they've had, all the angry outbursts and laughs from her--

Their first meeting.

He puts all his energy on it, playing the whole battle over in his head.

You never would have made it as Obi-Wan's Padawan. But you might make it as mine. ]

[resnipstance]

[There. There's a faint pulse. A vibration along their bond, now thinner than a thread, but there.]

[beardstrokes]

[ Obi-Wan tries to strengthen that connection, channeling the Force into it. Make it stronger, he tells Anakin, strong enough for us to pull her out. The steadier the pulse, the easier it'll be to extract her. But they cannot be too obvious. The souls were restless and Obi-Wan was loathe to hurt Greed in any way. ]