Chapter 22 - Love can come from multiple Places

As soon as they walked out of eye-shot from Echo, Ash stumbled, not being able to hold herself up anymore.
“Kiro…please help me,” she asked, with almost tears in her eyes. They weren’t just because Echo had hurt her, but she was in pain.
Kiro slipped a arm under her shoulder and pulled her up.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Ya, it’s just some cramps,” she said.
“Not about that,” he said as they walked back to Ash’s room. “Echo. I know what she said hurt you. It hurt me…but if you think about-“
“She’s right,” Ash finished.
Kiro looked at her. He wasn’t expecting her to finish his sentence.
“Yeah…that,” he said.
Ash smiled, but it didn’t last long.
“How many times will we have this talk and still not listen?” she asked.
“That would be impossible to count,” he said.
“Will we ever learn?” Ash asked.
Kiro seemed to consider it. Then he looked down and smiled at her.
“From my calculations…no. Never,” he said.
Ash giggled. She couldn’t just act boring around him. She couldn’t just ignore him. There was a part of her that always needed to be around him. But yet there was that part of her struggling to regain control…the Jedi part. She needed to be forced away from him to regain control of herself. She couldn’t leave him on her terms. Hopefully the Jedi Council would give them assignment on the other side of the galaxy, although Ash wished so hard that would never happen.
They finally got back to her room and Kiro helped her sit back down on her bed.
“Do you mind if I have a moment to myself?” she asked him.
“No, I forbid it,” he said sarcastically and kissed her on the cheek. Then he turned and left them room. “You know how to reach me,” he said as he walked out the door.
She was alone now.
Her and only her mind.
She opened herself up fully to the Force, letting it guide her instincts. What they were doing right now felt right. It needed to be done. Whatever was going to happen in the next few days would send them back on her tract to becoming a Jedi again. She could feel it in her bones.
Then she felt a familiar presence coming her way.
Echo.
Great, she thought to herself. What does she want to yell at me about for now? Maybe if I’m just nice she’ll ignore what happened.
Ash waited until her sister came. She felt her outside of her door just waiting. Contemplating whether to knock on the door or not. Ash sent a slight message in the Force urging her to knock.
Just then, Ash heard the slightest knock on the door.
Yes! I’ve still got it!
She got up and walked slowly over to the door. She opened it and gave her sister her best smile.
“I was wondering if you were ever going to knock. I felt your presence minutes ago!” Ash said, giggling.
Echo laughed too, but it almost seemed like a forced laugh.
“Well, I was just a little nervous…,” Echo said softly.
“About what happened? About what you said?” Ash asked, wanting to get straight to the point. She knew this was why she was here. Echo felt bad and Ash knew it.
“Don’t worry. It’s true what you said. I and Kiro both know it. We’ve been taking advantage of being a Jedi. It’s one of the most wonderful things I could ever ask for and I’ve been breaking too many of its boundaries. I shouldn’t put a good thing to waste, just like I won’t with Kiro. I love him…he’s funny, goofy…and he’s always there for me when nobody else is.”
Ash almost whispered that part. She wondered if Echo had caught the part where she had said ‘when nobody else is.’ Ash had meant to emphasize that part. Echo hadn’t seemed to there for her at all lately. Of course they had gotten closer when they were up against Blaze, but for the past few years, Echo had almost ignored her.
Slowly, Echo started to cry.
“What’s wrong?” Ash asked.
Echo wiped a tear from her eye.
“I’m supposed to be there for you! All the time, but am I? What kind of a person am I? I’m sick!” Echo said, choking on her own tears.
Ash softened up. Echo had caught what she said and had taken it a little too seriously.
“Echo…you and Kiro are all that I’m living for. I love both of you so much. I love Kiro because he’s like a second Echo to me! Everyday I get double Echo with a side order of Kiro! And I admit that I love it! I’m the most fortunate girl in the galaxy. I have you, Kiro, Sakura, all my friends, and I recently added Xiang to the people that are there for me when I need a shoulder to cry on.”
Echo smiled slightly. Before she knew it was hugging her sister.
“No…admit it. I’m never there for you. Will you ever forgive me for all the terrible things I’ve ever said to you?”
Ash put a confused look on her face.
“I don’t believe I’ve ever heard a mean thing come out of your mouth!” Ash said.
Echo laughed. Good…Ash had brightened her day. She felt a lot better about herself now.
“Do you think Zuri would work well as my padawan?” Echo asked, still hugging her.
“Of course she would. She adores you. You should have seen the way she looks at you. You’ve just met but I think you’re her role model,” Ash said, giving Echo her personal opinion.
Echo pushed away from her and went and sat on her bed.
“She has anger problems thought. I have living proof. There was a boy that came up to her when we were walking her up to her room and he insulted her. Let’s just say that boy is scared for life. She sucker-punched him right in the nose,” Echo said with a sigh. “I know she can’t be perfect, but in a way I’m happy she isn’t. That would scare me a tad. But we all know that I have anger issues, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to teach her to control her outburst.”
Echo seemed very worried.
“Relax Echo,” Ash said, walking and sitting on the bed by her. “A very wise Jedi once told me that one of the greatest thing about having a padawan is being able to learn more about yourself. The connection between master and padawan is too learn together.”
Echo nodded, understanding.
“I feel bad that I haven’t had any time with Neon. He’s my padawan…and we still haven’t got to know each other well. Our first week as master and padawan we were separated by Aero and then Blaze. I’m afraid he won’t even know who I am anymore…especially with this new arm,” Ash said.
Echo just looked to her.
“You shouldn’t let your new arm affect your attitude. Zuri thought it was pretty cool, and I don’t even recognize it anymore. I just see Ash Chi…my one and only twin sister.”
Ash looked to her and smiled back.
“Thanks sis…I can always count on you,” she said and hugged her sister.
“Thanks…and guess what Zuri loves?” Echo asked, completely off subject.
Ash sighed and pushed away. She giggled.
“What? Building things? Electronics? Everything you like?”
Echo giggled.
“Yes! All of that! And she’s really interested in planets!” Echo said, getting excited.
Ash laughed.
“My suspicions were right. You two would make a great team,” she said, patting her sister on her shoulder. Her sister giggled but then she got silent.
“Xiang asked me if I would always love him,” Echo said and sighed. “I thought about it, searched deep inside my heart, and I really think I will love him forever. Do you think it’s just young love? I mean…we’re Jedi. We don’t exactly now what love is supposed to feel like. How do I know he’s it or not? I’m I suppose to follow this feeling or forget it?”
Echo didn’t sound too happy. She sounded stressed out more than Mace Windu. She laid her head in her lap.
Ash sighed. She hoped this would work.
“Don’t think, just answer. Do you love Xiang?”
“Yes,” Echo said firmly without hesitating.
“Then you love him,” Ash replied.
“How do you know that?” Echo asked, head still in her lap.
“When you answered me, you didn’t consider anything or hesitate, you just said what you felt. You love him, and always will.”
Echo pulled her head back up. She was smiling wide.
“I owe you big time,” she said. “You’ve helped me whenever I’ve doubted myself and that’s what a true sister is for. I’m really sorry I haven’t always been there for you.”
“Remember this,” Ash said, not wanting her sister to start balling again, trying to keep on subject. “Feelings pass, instincts don’t. You should let your feelings effect your decisions in certain situations, but your instincts will always be the thing that keeps you alive in the end. Focus on the good. Xiang loves you, you love Xiang. Everything’s good!”
Echo giggled.
“Do you feel the same about Kiro? Do you really love him? I don’t mean to pry but-” she asked.
“Yes,” Ash said, cutting her off before she could finish her sentence. “With all my heart.”
Echo smiled and stood up.
“Let him know it,” she said and walked out of the room smiling and bubbly.
Echo’s right, Ash said. I really need to let him know I love him. This may be my last chance before we never see each other again after we reach the Temple again.
Ash called out to Kiro in the Force, telling him to come back into the room. She felt his acknowledgement in the Force. Now she just had to figure out what to say to him. Ash would have loved to ask him to marry her, but they were too young and still hadn’t known each other that long.
Someday, Ash thought to herself. Now focus on the present. What am I going to do? Should I just go in and kiss him like last time? Or should I actually talk to him and express my feelings? It seems like we’re always talking. Maybe a little silence is for the better. But…maybe not. I could tell him-
Kiro interrupted her thoughts as he walked into the room. He closed the door behind him.

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