CC Draws Things

Ben leaned back against the tree, looking up through the dense leaves at some small feathered creatures pecking and prodding away at the things crawling along the branches. As far as places to begin his journey of self-discovery™ a swamp seemed almost poetic. Start crawling out of the figurative mud by crawling out of the literal mud. Or maybe it was the growing, nagging, feeling that his having ended up here wasn't an accident and an unnerving thought began to form in his head.

"If this is Dagobah," he firmly told the universe, "I'm out. I'll turn myself in, to the first Republic Officer I find."

"Fortunate for you then that this isn't Dagobah,"

Long long ago, in a galaxy far far away... "I wonder how revolting it was for you to pretend to play nice, just to save your own skin? I can't wait to see what the New Republic decides to do with your worthless hide. Execution is always an option, but I think I'm going to suggest imprisonment in the worst cell they have. One of those old ones the Empire made for Jedi. Just leave you in there alone to rot."

Long long ago, in a galaxy far far away... Ben smirked, resting his chin on his hand, "Oh you would be surprised." He lowered his voice conspiratorially, "I learned my first curse words from my mother. The songs I learned from my father and his "friends"." "No," Rey could feel a grin forming on her face, "She never would have let him, surely!" "She didn't like it," Ben shrugged, "But her job was critical and kept her far too busy to spare time keeping me out of trouble," there was a touch of regret and disappointed acceptance in his words, "I spent most of my time with my father anyway. It was that or leave me with a nanny droid, and Whills know I got very good at escaping from them fairly early on and it wasn’t wise to leave me alone." Rey laughed, trying to picture a tiny little Ben, all pudgy baby limbs and wild hair, sneaking past fussy droids to find his parents. She hoped it was as adorable as she imagined. "I still don't know that I entirely believe you. A bar or anywhere else Han might go for fun is absolutely not any place for a child." "Pot to the kettle. I can prove it." "How?" "Name a song. I bet you I know it."

Long long ago in a galaxy far far away... All too often when a particularly "evil" person becomes "good" again, the only way for them to be redeemed is for them to die. So, what happens when you try that and death won't have you? A newly awakened Ben Solo must deal with the aftermath of his actions as Kylo Ren; physically, mentally, and socially; struggling to figure out how he can even START to take responsibility or try to fix the damage he's done. How do you right wrongs when no one trusts you? How do you repair what cannot be repaired? How do you deal with the things you've done when you're just as much to blame as you're not? Do you have the right to be happy? Do you even have the right to try?