//------------------------------// // The Blind Shall See // Story: Jedi Exile // by makey101 //------------------------------// By the time the sun rose, the library was more or less in order. I say "more or less" because scorched wood is significantly harder to fix than, say, an overturned bookcase. I'm sure Twilight wont notice. "...What is that?" Twilight asked, trotting down the stairs. "Its your sculpture! He is the great General "Ironsides" Basket-Britches!" "That's just a bucket with crude sketch and a lame pun!" "Well the previous horse thingie was...burned, so I made a new one! I could go into the intricacies of feng shui, but that conversation would bore you." Twilight gave up and sauntered into the kitchen to make breakfast. "What would you like for breakfast?" "I have no idea. Anything is fine. do your worst!" After I ate a quick breakfast consisting of pancakes and eggs, I felt a strong urge to go outside. This is not one of those urges you get when you are trying to get to sleep and feel the need to roll over. It felt more akin to that feeling you get when somebody hovers their finger between your eyebrows and you can feel a tingly sensation. Only one thing can make me have that feeling (besides the finger thing). The Winds of the force are blowing. Without a word, I rose up from the table and headed for the door. Twilight seemed confused at my sudden departure from the room. She had the form of a question on her lips, but must have decided against it. I made my way through the door and into the bright Equestrian sun. As I went outside, I Felt the Force carry me down a maze of alleyways and busy streets. I do not pretend to know why I had such a strong urge to follow this feeling. Truth be told, the only reason I went this far was from past experience. If the past few years have taught me anything, it was to go with the flow. I based a lot of my decisions on going with the flow, but I digress. I walked for about ten minutes before I came upon the source of the Feeling. I stepped silently into the shadows at the enterance of a narrow alley. A few yards from me were 5 young ponies. Three of them were jeering loudly at the other two. The two who were being berated were noticably younger than the others. One was a pegasus boy entering puberty, while the other was a young girl who was small enough to be held in one arm. The three older ones appeared to be threatening the others. I did not get a chance to listen to the older ones before they attacked. The one going into puberty did not react to any of their movements. He just stood there glaring just to the side of the assailants. The largest of the three reached him first and gave him a hard buck to his side, causing him to double over. "Icarus!" the young filly shouted. Icarus slowly got on his feet, a look of defiance in his unfocused eyes. "Stay away from her!" He ordered to the general vicinity. This was when I decided to intervene. "Is there a problem?" The three attackers stopped in their tracks and regarded me. "AHHHH! A monster!" The three scrambled out of the alley as fast as they could. "Stay away from my sister!" Icarus snarled. I knelt down ans looked into his eyes. They were a steely grey and had the quality of frosted glass. "You can See me can't you?" "What are you talking about? I can't see anything!" Indignation in his voice. I picked up a rock with the Force and slowly lobbed it just to the side of him. He flinched as it passed his face. "Why did you do that?" "You threw a rock at me!" "Yes, but it hasn't made a noise." I asked, channeling my best "Jedi Master" cryptic babble. "You still threw a rock at me!" "Would you like to see again?" Icarus stopped fuming and stared near me, skeptical. "I have a proposal for you: I will show you how to See and defend yourself and others in return for your service." Icarus' face scrunched in thought. "Do not answer now. Where do you live? This should involve them too." Icarus, the young one and I arrived at a modest house near the edge of Ponyville. The young ones were greeted by their parents. "Icarus! what in Celestia's name happened?" The mother ran up to Icarus and started to inspect his bruised from the buck. "Don't worry about it mom!" "What did I tell you about getting into fights?" "But I never hit them!" I stepped forward "In his defense, he didn't lift a finger to hurt them." The mom looked confused "I don't know what that means but it is no excuse for getting in a fight!" "He was defending the little one from some others. He took the fall so she didn't have to." The mother took a step back. "Is this true?" Icarus slowly nodded. "Ah! where are my manners? I am Warden. I am pleased to meet you miss..." "Feather Wing. But please, call me Feather. You must be that thing everypony is talking about." "They are saying good things I hope. In any case, I would like to ask you and your family something important. May we step inside?" Feather nodded in agreement and we all filed indoors. The rest of the family introduced themselves to me. The father, an inventor, was named Daedalus, and their daughter Breeze. We sat in the living room. It was spacious and gave the air a homely feel. Pictures of family adorned the tan walls that matched the slightly darker brown rung. The couch was old and soft, with a blanket on the backrest. There were 2 other single chairs encircling a low coffee table that held several magazines and the tea Feather was serving. We chatted about this and that, mostly about several projects Daedalus was working on. There was a long pause. After taking a sip, Daedalus spoke up. "So what is it you would like to ask?" "I have a proposal for your son. One that should not be taken lightly." I took another sip, letting my words sink in. "I wish to take your son as my apprentice." I received confused looks. Regardless, I continued. "This is what I offer your son: I will teach him to see again-" The entire family except Icarus gasped. "You can do that!?" Feather blurted, clearly elated. "I can. But it will come at a steep price." The family shifted uncomfortably. "I will teach him to see again as well as how to defend himself and others, but he will serve me as my apprentice. He will spend his time with me training, and have little free time to see you or his friends." Daedalus perked up. "That doesn't sound so bad!" I gave him a stern look. "This means he will have to obey my commands. My rules are different from yours. He may be asked to do things he isn't comfortable with." This time Icarus looked at me square in the eye "Like what?" "Fight another man. And, if necessary, kill them." The family looked appalled. "How could you think about doing something like that?!" Icarus shouted. "To save the lives of others." "There is always another solution!" "I don't ask you to like it. I simply suggest that there may be a time where it is necessary to take another's life in exchange for the lives of countless others. Each of us are different, if you truly wish to not take another's life, all other deeds he commits are on your shoulders." The one who spoke next took me by surprise. It was the youngest member of the family, and the only one to still look at me. "Have you ever killed anyone?" "Yes." All of the ponies in the room shuddered. I pulled out my Lightsabers and laid them on the table. "See these markings on these?" Breeze nodded. "They are the names of every person I killed, No matter how good or evil. This is so I do not forget what sins I have done so others may be spared. I do not kill because I like to. I kill so nobody else has to." I turned to Icarus. "You were struck so your sister didn't have to. You shield her from the misfortune that would befall her, even if that means physical pain." Icarus slowly nodded. "I ask you to do the same on a larger scale. You can protect those you care about and achieve the greater good." Icarus looked down and said nothing. "The line I ask you to walk is a tin one that isn't always clear. You do not have to answer me now, but if you wish to be the shield for those around you, follow the Wind." "GET. OUT." Feather stood up and glared at me. Without saying another word I stand up, bow, and walk out of the door. The sun was low in the sky and I decided to walk to the hills that boarder Ponyville. after an hour of walking, I sit down on the grass that is looking over Ponyville and watch the sun set. News of my deeds will no doubt reach the rest of the village by sunrise. Taking advantage of the still night, I meditate. Much time passed as I concentrated on my Lightsabers. I had been working on various techniques to fight with them without touching them. It is sloppy, but it may well save my life. My reverie was broken by the sound of hoofsteps. The pony walked up near me and sat down. Several minutes passed without either of us saying a word. Eventually I spoke up "how did you find me?" "I followed the Wind like you told me." "Did you See it?" "I'm blind, remember?" "That's not what i'm asking, kid. Did you See it. Capital S. Did you feel it in your bones. Did you know not only where it was, but it's color, it's taste, it's smell?" "I don't know what you mean..." "That is what I am going to teach you. There Is a race of people born without eyes, that see things just like how you found me." Icarus nodded. "Meditate, then. Focus on Feeling everything around you just like you felt the Wind" Icarus scrunched his face in concentration. I decided to give him a little help and focused my Force on a Lightsaber. Once I did this, Icarus reeled back. "I See that! Its like a bright light!" Icarus was clearly elated. I gave out a small chuckle. "Good, my young Padawan." "Pada-what?" "Padawan. It means...err... something. Just roll with it." Icarus yawned. "You aren't a very good teacher are you?" "No I suppose not." Icarus' eyes started drooping and he fell asleep curled up to my side. I went back to my meditative trance. Tomorrow was going to be a doozy. After all, my whole body was a-twitching.