A/N: this is not supposed to be an Anisoka chapter in any way! Just thought the song fit the mood. Have fun 😈

***

"It was foretold that you would be here. Our long-awaited meeting has come at last." Darth Vader thundered from across the Sith Temple.

"I'm glad I gave you something to look forward to," Ahsoka Tano answered, eyes narrowed as she glared at him.

"We need not be adversaries," Vader intoned, retracting his scarlet red blade. "The Emperor will show you mercy if you tell me where the remaining Jedi can be found."

"There are no Jedi," Ahsoka spat. "You and your Inquisitors have seen to that!"

Turning to Ezra, he mused, "Perhaps this child will confess what you will not."

In a stroke of courage, Ahsoka confronted the person whom she knew was trapped beneath Vader's shroud of darkness, someone who she'd once held very close to her heart. "I was beginning to believe I knew who you were, behind that mask," she began, a faint tremble in her voice. "But it's impossible. My master could never be as vile as you."

"Anakin Skywalker was weak. I destroyed him!"

Ahsoka flinched, sorrow flashing through her eyes. The dwindling hope she'd held onto that Anakin could be saved had disintegrated. Her heart shattered into thousands of irreparable pieces and suddenly, an intense, determined flame lit up in her normally serene eyes.

"Then I will avenge his death," she vowed, promising to do whatever it took to get her old Master back.

"Revenge is not the Jedi way," Vader taunted, riling her emotions up enough to begin a vicious duel.

"I am no Jedi," Ahsoka hissed. The pain these words once held was gone. Only rage and sorrow remained as she prepared to fight for her life, but most importantly, for her long-lost brother.

***

A gleaming, white light showered the Temple as two pure white blades exploded from within Ahsoka Tano's emitters. Then, a baritone buzz was heard before a flash of bright scarlet enveloped the Sith Temple. Vader's blood-red lightsaber had sprung to life. It was time.

***

The attacks and parries exchanged between Darth Vader and Ahsoka Tano were on a level only they could attain. The frequency and sheer speed at which their blades connected were, to the untrained eye, mesmerizing -- their perfectly synchronized movements were like an extremely complicated, fast-paced dance, symbolizing their tattered, yet unbroken unity.

Neither relented; if even one tiny miscalculation was made, the consequences would be fatal. Both fought for a similar outcome: Vader was determined to end Ahsoka Tano, the last puzzle piece of his past once and for all. For Ahsoka, she vowed to end the Sith Lord's tyrannic rule and rekindle the Light in Anakin, the light that had been corrupted, but not fully extinguished. The heartthrob that Ahsoka felt to fight her brother was tearing her part; each happy memory created with Anakin faded, forcing her to live in the bitter present. She would never forget any of those priceless memories, but this one in particular would stay with her forever. The day she felt the Light in him drain away, replacing it with pure Darkness was permanently etched into her memoirs. It was unforgettable. That was the day Anakin Skywalker ceased to exist, allowing Darth Vader to rise from his ashes. That day, the Jedi were mass-murdered, slaughtered like animals by the allies they thought to be friends. As complex footwork sent echoes around the large Temple, red and white blades clashed against each other mercilessly as their symbolic yet fateful duel ensued, perhaps the last one there will ever be.

As Vader continued to press his attack, he towered over Ahsoka, seeing her sorrow-filled blue eyes once more. Whatever was left of the fearless, fallen Jedi warrior mourned for her; those eyes no longer sparkled in curiosity and wonder, no longer innocent were they. She'd been mixed into a war far too young, far too early. She had been thrown into a war that wasn't hers to fight. Ahsoka had seen too much, she had seen things that Padawans her age were not meant to be exposed to. Those once brilliant blue eyes no longer gleamed with excitement. All that was left was the dull, beaten-down shell of the person she once was. Instead of hope shining in her eyes, all that shone were tears.

Vader's time as Anakin Skywalker flashed before him. And Anakin lived- for just a moment as the Clone Wars replayed, reminiscing he and Ahsoka's most memorable moments together.

The innocent fourteen-year-old descending the gunship ramp.

Their friendly banter and ever-lasting playful quarrels.

The heartfelt words that were spoken when they reunited after her kidnapping.

Framed for a crime she didn't commit.

Expelled from the Order.

Walking away from his outstretched hand.

Walking away from him.

Returning to aid the Republic to defeat Maul.

Wishing him good luck in the hangar — the last time he saw her again as Anakin Skywalker.

Staring up at the black, emotionless mask, Ahsoka remembered her Master, and what she had told Ezra not too long ago.

Anakin Skywalker, my Master, my brother. He was powerful; rarely lost a battle. But what surprised people was how kind he was. He cared deeply for the people he loved, his friends. He looked out for them until the end.

Ahsoka remembered the way Anakin often gazed upon her like a brother would his beloved younger sister.

He'd been there with her every step of the way. No matter what.

Gifting her the old lightsabers she'd used as a Jedi before parting ways for their separate missions, blades tinkered to shine blue just like his.

Wishing him luck, the raw, unspoken emotion conveyed between them pulsing across their bond.

The last time she'd ever see him as Anakin Skywalker.

"Ahsoka!" a familiar voice called. Her eyes widened as she remembered the desolation on Anakin's face, watching helplessly as she walked down those steps. Away from the Jedi. Away from her past life. Away from him. He'd lost a dear friend that day. She felt an unbearable agony grip her soul like talons, filling her with pure, unfiltered misery. This was all her fault. She left him, abandoned him at his most vulnerable when he'd always been there for her, no matter what. She failed him. If only she'd stayed -- it all could have been prevented. Sidious wouldn't have risen to absolute power, and Anakin could've, with help, eradicated the rapidly growing darkness within. As Ahsoka turned around, a surge of disappointment flooded her as she saw only Ezra and Kanan frantically shouting her name, pleading with her to come with them while she still could. She didn't. Manipulating the Temple gates with the Force, they slid shut, barricading them outside just as she felt the Sith Lord come up for another attack. But she'd sensed something else, too. Vader hesitated slightly and the Togruta used it to her advantage, leaping onto his chest and slamming one of her blades across his helmet. Both stumbled backward.

***

Vader managed to stand up, a large portion of his helmet now missing. He nearly stumbled backward as Ahsoka's misery projected through her signature in the Force. He glanced at her through the crack in his helmet. It had fallen off enough to see part of his face. His right eye.

Ahsoka felt the pair of eyes gazing at her as she also turned around. "Anakin?" She whispered hoarsely.

"Ahsoka." Pain gripped his voice as if he were pleading with her. His eyes regained a faint blue sheen but glared at her with the dominant hue of that damned Sith gold.

She could see his blazing red eye from underneath the helmet, hoping for an indication that somewhere, deep down, Anakin Skywalker was still alive. The figure opposite her did not respond for quite a while, simply staring at her blankly. Ahsoka could feel the conflict fighting within him. Somewhere down there, Anakin Skywalker was indeed battling Vader's control. Ahsoka saw the eyes filled with hatred flicker momentarily to the gorgeous ocean blue they once were. The blue remained for just a moment before receding to gold. It wasn't, however, the only time they were blue. As blue and gold fought for dominance, Ahsoka could only hope for a positive outcome. Now all she could do was wait.

But the serenity did not last long. Vader was fighting fiercely for dominance again, and Anakin was losing; Ahsoka could see it. His blue eyes shifted back to that horrid Sith gold, and this time, the blue was no more.

"Please, Anakin," she pleaded, "I won't leave you! Not this time."

Vader narrowed his eyes, saying nothing as his thumb hovered over his lightsaber's ignition plate-

"Then you will die."

***

The fierce, fateful duel between Darth Vader and Ahsoka Tano resumed, both striving to reach their goal, now more than ever. Red versus white, Sith against Grey Jedi.

Ahsoka felt her previously smooth movements beginning to fall apart. Sweat fled down her face at an unusually rapid pace as her breathing became laboured. She was slowly weakening under Vader's powerful blows. His machine-infused body granted him a large advantage, allowing him to maintain enough stamina to crash his scarlet saber against hers with tremendous force. Ahsoka's anger flared, but it was no use. Not only had he mastered Djem So, but all the others too, thus making him even more unpredictable and deadly. Her legs began to sag under the pressure, they'd been at this for nearly an hour and the attacks from the Sith Lord just kept coming. He was relentless as he was merciless. Vader's bold, incessant slashes came from every direction, his blade threatening to end her life at any possible moment.
Ahsoka was no longer as nimble as she was before, and the fatigue had long since caught up with her. Her vision blurred as she struggled to parry each of Vader's vehement attacks. She knew she couldn't go on for much longer. I don't have any more options, she thought to herself. At least I can delay his strikes by pushing him back.

The grasp on the saber hilt in her right hand loosened to a two-finger hold as she extended the other three, preparing to send Vader flying back.

Fatal miscalculation.

In the time it had taken her to prepare the action, the Sith Lord had noticed the practically undefended right hand. With one swing, he knocked the saber from her hand, plunging his blade straight into her chest.

***

Ahsoka gasped. Her breath hitched, strength failing her. The only thing she saw was the scarlet lightsaber blade brutally rammed into her torso.

"No..." she whimpered, the hold on her second lightsaber slackening as it fell, hitting the ground with a deafening clang.

She collapsed onto her knees, devoid of any will to keep fighting. The Force could finally end her suffering. Allowing a lone tear to roll down her face, she felt Vader freeze.

The Sith Lord has finally come to terms with what he'd done. In that spur of the moment, he felt entranced as he'd thrusted his lightsaber forward into Ahsoka's chest, dark victory settling in. But now? Anakin rebelled, and he fought Vader's control with one final, frantic shove. Vader's control toppled; he hadn't expected such strong retaliation, not now. His mental shields fell, and Anakin returned.

All he saw was Ahsoka kneeling on the ground in defeat, a looming lightsaber wound on her chest. "Snips, no," he uttered in disbelief. Just as his former apprentice began to topple, Anakin took a knee, carefully catching his rapidly fading little sister in his arms. "Ahsoka... I am so sorry. For everything."

"Anakin," She smiled weakly. She had succeeded, at least temporarily, in turning him back to the Light. "It-it's okay-" she coughed. "Let me- see you... one last time."

Taking her hands in his, he willed his helmet to be taken off as a final sign of respect.

"I'm so sorry, Snips," Anakin whispered, tears sliding past his eyelids. He brought her in close, cradling her in his arms. "I know my actions are inexcusable, but I hope one day you will forgive me. If not, I understand. I'm sorry," He said, swallowing thickly.

"I- I already have." As her breathing shallowed, Ahsoka's watched her life unfold before her eyes, as it came to one final memory.

The Togruta watched in third-person mode as her Padawan-aged self huddled beside Anakin with his arm wrapped around her. It was a day off, and they'd chosen to spend it together, relaxing together, watching television. The Greatest Showman.

"...How do we rewrite the stars?
Say that you were made to be mine."

As her final act, she brought Anakin's gloved hand to her heart as the lovely melody of Rewrite The Stars drifted out of her mouth, tear streaks gleaming on her cheeks.

"And why don't we rewrite the stars?
Changing the world to be ours..."

Her time was nearing, and she knew it. "Thank you, Anakin. For everything," she murmured, nodding to him with a small smile on her lips. And with that, Ahsoka released her final breath... and she was gone.

Anakin looked down upon his former apprentice. He'd destroyed whatever shards of mental sanity he had left. Ahsoka was gone, had become one with the Force. It was just another innocent life he'd taken, the last Northern Star he eradicated for showing him the way. His past was all but gone, and Anakin Skywalker would soon completely cease to exist. Sorrow weighed heavily on his heart like lead as he lifted a gloved hand, gently closing her eyes. Bowing his head in respect, he allowed more tears to seep out from underneath his eyes as he began to plan the next step. Ahsoka deserved a proper funeral. Unknowingly, he altered two specific lines of his favourite song from The Greatest Showman, letting his agony destroy him from the inside.

"Didn't we rewrite the stars? Couldn't the world have been ours?"

***

A/N: I'm sorryyy 😭😭 but on a better note, a fun Redemption chapter coming ASAP! :D