Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Redeeming Darkness ❯ Endor ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

Author's note: Okay, I've really been having fun with this thing. I don't know about the size of my chapters, but they'll probably stay similar to Chapter 2. I've been finding it's easier to keep up with things if you don't have so much to do before you can put out the next spot.

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CHAPTER 3: ENDOR
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They landed on the moon and were surrounded by Rebel fighters. They wanted to make sure that Vader had not been coercing Luke into bringing him down safely. Trunks and Goten stood ready to defend the injured Anakin from physical assault, knowing that there were far too many among them that he had hurt, either directly or indirectly, to leave him alone until the medics had gotten there.

Soon enough, Leia Organa, along with Han Solo and Chewbacca, arrived at the landing platform. They had heard the rumors flying like wildfire through the Alliance troops and weren't sure what to believe. Leia took in the sight of Darth Vader, sans helmet but not mask, being attended to by both a droid mechanic and a physician, then looked at her brother with an unreadable expression. Unreadable on the surface, but Luke could sense conflict boiling in his sister. She remembered all too well the torture which he had overseen as a trap for Luke.

Chewie was not so restrained. Not taking any chances, Trunks and Goten powered up as he approached them. He was brought up short by the visible display of energy and looked down at them soundlessly. Trunks was still the spokesman for the pair. "Please don't. We don't want to fight you. He's really not a threat right now, so please don't go in there." He looked for a moment like he might just try it, but he backed off.

Han just looked at Luke. He knew the kid was trustworthy. But judgement? That he didn't know about. "I hope you know what you're doing, kid." With that, he just turned and left. Chewie followed closely behind. The kids backed off their power once the Wookie was gone, Goten breathing a deep sigh of relief. Chewie was one of his favorite characters, and he hadn't wanted to fight him.

Anakin woke from the anesthesia, still groggy. He knew that something had changed, but he couldn't quite place it. He had no trouble remembering what had happened before, that he had renounced the Emperor and almost died for it, but there was something physical that was different. A light breeze came through the infirmary where he had been moved after landing in the shuttle, and he suddenly realized that he could feel it. Air tickled along his cheeks, his eyelids, and the bridge of his nose. How long had it been since he'd felt those things? His children had barely been born when he'd been turned into a mechanical monstrosity. They hadn't been born at all when he'd made himself into an amoral monster.

He wondered how they had changed his appearance. He supposed that almost anything would be an improvement, so he had no intention of complaining. He was just curious, though he hoped it hadn't been done in black. He'd had enough of that color.

Just then he heard childish laughter. "Yeah, Trunks, and then he accidentally dropped it and it blew up!"

"Well if he hadn't been flying where me and Dad were sparring, he wouldn't have dropped it, would he, Goten?"

Had he not been so week, Anakin would have shook his head at the conversation. He didn't have a clue what they were talking about. But they seemed to notice that he was awake, and they came over to the cot where he lay. They were odd looking youngsters. The hair of the eldest was a light purple color. The other's hair was a more normal black, but it stuck out in all directions. Both wore loose fitting clothes that looked like they were made to fight in, not hindering any movement while being tightly restrained at the waist by a sash and at the ankles by cloth-topped boots. The elder's clothes were green and blue, while the younger wore orange and blue. From their conversation, he knew their names, as well.

"Trunks, Goten."

The boys turned to face the man they had saved. Goten said, "Hey, you're awake! How are you feeling?"

Surprised at their concern, he said, "As well as can be expected. Why did you do this? Why save this dark creature?"

Trunks looked at Goten. Their presence here had been an accident, kind of, but why had they actually gone through with it? Trunks knew why he had. It was very simple. "It's a long story, but I'll tell you if you want." The old man nodded. "The first part is weird. Goten and I are from a different universe. There, your entire story has been told as fiction, and it's one of our favorite stories. There are a group of seven gems called Dragonballs that, when brought together will summon the Eternal Dragon Shenron, who will grant two wishes. We had made our first wish, and we were discussing the story and how we'd like to change the ending, and Shenron took that for our second wish.

"The second reason is more personal. When my father first came to my mother's homeworld, he was evil. He was also very strong, and he could have destroyed the planet without much effort if he'd wanted to. For his own interests, though, he ended up teaming up with Mom's best friend to destroy an even worse evil, and along the way, he and Mom got together briefly. I was the result. Things kept happening to throw his lot in with the good guys, and gradually he made the change. From what Mom has told me since, he was pretty confused about the whole thing. And he still craved power, not over men, but physical fighting power. He fell back once, with a lure of that power, but when he finally realized what was going on, he changed his heart permanently. He gave his life to save the world he'd come to care so much about. And later, he was brought back to life, and he's been on the light side ever since. None of this would have happened if Mom's best friend, at the end of that first battle, hadn't stopped one of his comrades from killing him when he was defeated. Goku gave him a second chance, and he made good on it. I'd like to give you that same chance."

Goten piped up. "Yeah, and it's kind of my fault we're here in the first place. Besides, my Dad was the one who helped his Dad. So I guess I'll continue the family traditon by helping Luke's Dad."

The first part of the story would have made him sceptical if he hadn't been certain beyond a doubt that they were not lying. The Force still flowed within him, and lies had always sung to him. The only person who had ever been able to truly decieve him had been Palpatine. He shuddered away from that thought and concentrated on the rest of the story. Trunks had a personal stake in this, the good kind. Goten was just along for the ride, but he was helping his friend. His worries extinguished, Anakin gave in to the exhaustion that was plaguing him and fell into a healing sleep.

Trunks looked down at the sleeping face, then looked back at his friend and grinned. "I think this is going to work, Goten." Just then, Luke came into the room. He had a very unique power signature, something that neither boy had ever sensed before, so they were never surprised when he came near them. They thought that Anakin would have something similar, but only when he'd had time to heal. And Goten had sensed a small part of it in Leia the few times they'd been in the same room with her. It was quiet and untrained, but that could easily be remedied once Luke had the time to train her.

"He was awake?" Luke looked at his father on the bed, worried. His survival was still very unsure, and he had to live before he could heal.

Goten answered him. "Yeah, for a little bit. He seemed really tired, though. He asked us one question, and after we answered him, he went back to sleep."

Luke nodded. "He'll need to sleep a lot for a few days, maybe a week." He paused, curious. "What did he ask you?"

Trunks sighed. "He asked us why we had saved him. He doesn't think he deserves it, I think, but if someone hadn't given my father a chance to change his ways, I would never have been born. Goku could easily have let Krillin kill him after that first battle. But he didn't. That could have been a very big strategical mistake, but that man believes everyone deserves a second chance. I think he's right."

Luke smiled. They had a good reason, and it should have at least set some of his father's worries to rest. He changed the subject. "So, how did you two get up there in the first place?"

Goten giggled. "You're never going to believe this." And they settled down to tell him the whole story.

Thanks for the reviews, guys! I'm really having fun writing this, so keep 'em coming!