I run out side, finding Thalia and John by the landspeeder. I run up giving them both a hug.
"Brady! You're not dead." John says.
Thalia punches me.
"Ow!" I yell. "What was that for?!" I glare at her.
"For scaring us." She sees my bloody elbow. "Come on, John you're driving."
"Wait, why me?" John asks.
"Because Brady is a bad driver, and with his arm like this you don't want to find out if you'll live or not with him." Thalia says.
"Fair point." He replies.
"Wait, how did you get here?" I ask.
"I took a ship that ran out of gas when I landed, we can come get it some other day." She says, grabbing a medkit. We hop into the back of the speeder, John getting in the front and driving. Thalia begins cleaning off the blood, and patching my elbow up for now until we get to a proper doctor.
"Can I tell you something when we get to Mandalore? It's important and I know John won't keep his mouth shut." I whisper to her.
"Yeah, of course." She whispers back.
"How'd your elbow end up like that?" John asks.
"The staircase collapsed and I tried to keep my head from hitting the ground. So, instead my elbow hit the ground." I say, in a little bit of pain.
"You're lucky it's not that bad." He says. "Where did those gunshots come from?"
"Stormtroopers." I reply.
He nods.
Soon we get to Mandalore, the sun beginning to set. We land just outside my garage. John grabs the keys and hops out of the landspeeder. Thalia and I get out as well. My father comes out of the front door.
"Where have you three been all day?!" He says, angry. Followed by their parents.
"You three haven't been in school, we all got an email by your teacher! None of you went to class!" Their parents yell at them.
"Sorry Mr. and Mrs. Richards, and Mr. and Mrs. Griswold, Dad," I say, looking down. "It's my fault, I forced them to come with me.."
John and Thalia look at me, "No, it was our choice.." They both say.
"Son, you should know better!" My father says, angrily.
"I'm sick and tired of being here, Dad! I can't even get my own droid who I've been working on the past five years to start active! I needed a way to activate him, so they helped me try to find something." I say.
"That doesn't matter Brady, you need to go to school, it's the only way you'll get to be a Mandalorian. Our Bounty Hunters are the highest rated bounty hunters. You have to be ready to take my mantle." He says.
"And what if I don't want your mantle?!" I yell at him. "Have you ever thought about what I might want dad?! No, you're too full of yourself to even look or care about what I might want. I want my own path, not yours!" I yell, running into the woods behind our house.
"Brady!" Thalia and John yell.
My father stands still, in shock.
Further into the forest I stop running, walking up to a river. I sit down, starring into the water. I grab a rock and chuck it into the water, full of anger. I rest my chin on my knees.
"Hey.." I familiar voice says.
"Hey.." I say, looking back at Thalia.
"You alright?" She asks, sitting down next to me.
"Yeah, you came after me?" I ask.
She nods. "I think you were harsh on your father back there, but you said you wanted to tell me something once we got here?"
I nod.
"What's up?" She asks carefully.
"First, where's John?"
"He didn't make it a foot away from him parents. I looked back once I was away from them and saw they were dragging him home."
"Would he even have dared?" I ask.
"I mean he did come with us?" She says. "It's possible, but not likely."
"Anyways, remember when I said that the Stormtroopers there were the ones that made the tunnel and the staircase collapse?" I ask.
"Yeah, did you lie?" She asks.
"No, that was just half of the story." I say.
"Okay, tell me everything. I won't get mad, promise." She smiles.
"Pinky promise?" I say, smirking.
"Pinky promise." She says, smirking, too.
After a while, I'd have her all caught up.
"So, now I have until tomorrow to make a decision..if I go with them or stay here.." I say, not knowing what to choose.
"Wow, that's a lot to take in. The part where you might be leaving us, and that you have the force..." She says. "You realize the Mandalorians including your father hate the Jedi?" She asks.
I nod. "I'm aware." I say.
"What are you going to do?" She asks.
"What do you think I should do?" I ask her.
"That's not for me to decide, but it seems like an opportunity you might want to take. You wanted to find your own path, this might be it, Brady." She says.
"Would you be upset?" I ask her.
"If you left? Definitely. But, I'd also understand because you should be allowed to find yourself." She says, smiling.
"Wait, you would be upset? Why?" I ask.
"Well, you're a great friend. Even if you are stubborn ninety percent of the time. But, also you and I have to deal with John together, so I'd have to deal with him alone." We laugh.
"How do I break the news to my father without him trying to kill me?" I ask.
"Well, what did you tell him when we were at the colosseum?" She asks.
"You're asking me to lie?" I smirk.
"Maybe." She winks, playfully punching my shoulder. "I'm guessing you don't want me to break the news to John?" She asks.
"Yeah, please don't do that." I chuckle.
She chuckles, too.
"Can you do us a favor?" She asks.
"Yeah, what is it?" I ask.
She hugs me, tightly. "Please don't forget about us." She says.
I hug her back. "I never will." I say.
"Good." She says, pulling away. "Also, I might have something at home for your droid."
"You do?" I ask.
"Yeah, hopefully its something that'll make sure you don't forget about me and John." She smiles. "I actually brought it with." She takes something out of her pocket. A slim silver square like object lays in her hand. A blue aura flows around it. "It's a power source, I think the reason he keeps deactivating is because he needs a stronger power source to activate."
"Thank you.." I say.
"You're welcome." She smiles. "I'll see you later, Brady." A tear forms in her eyes.
I carefully wipe the tear away. "See you later, Thalia. Please tell John whenever I get home, to save some waffles for me." I wink at her.
She smiles. "Will do." She kisses my cheek, before getting up and walking away.
I smile, getting up myself, and walking home.
I soon get home, sneaking up to my room, locking the door and crashing onto my bed. I quickly fall asleep.