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Anakin despondently followed as Yoda as they slowly made their way to his quarters. Yoda's time-consuming hobble always made it irritating for Anakin to match. Today it felt even more like mincing. As he'd known, each time they encountered Padawans or even knights, they hushed their discussion. However, they always did that in respect or in the case of the teenagers, awe, of Yoda. So, Anakin couldn't tell if all the Padawans were still talking about him or not.
Kaely greeted them cheerfully at the door and was disappointed that they didn't return it. She hovered quietly as Yoda shuffled past to sit in his low chair and Anakin sat on the floor. Abruptly she squealed and darted at her master.
"What?" Anakin said in exasperation.
The pink droid flew around him and extended one of her tiny arms to point at various places on his body. And flashed her eyes at him.
"Yeah, I'm kinda beat up, but I'll be fine." Anakin explained.
She clucked at him in aggravation, but managed to refrain from out right scolding him. Anakin ignored her.
"More to this there is," Yoda insisted. "Tell me you will."
Well, it's a direct order, so I've got to. Anakin rationalized. He ignored the voice in the back of his mind, that sounded oddly a lot like Obi-wan, reminding him that he'd disobeyed direct orders before without hesitating.
"I was furious that I thought Lavir had told everyone and the way he pretended to remember that our fighting was wrong just made things worse. He only said that because he was losing." Anakin grumbled.
"Know that I do."
"Right. I told him he was no better then I. You see he always acts like he is so much better then everyone else and has treated not just me but a lot of the others like we weren't worthy of his notice."
"To the point you will get."
"Uh huh, I reminded him about how he used the Darkside once and got away with it."
That got Yoda's full attention.
It'll be fine. Anakin reminded himself. It's not like Lavir's in danger of being kicked out of the Temple or anything. Just getting the punishment he deserves. "Lavir used mind tricks to try to seduce a girl, about two years ago, but his master stopped him. That's where in our fight that Lavir felt like I was insulting Master Tcirts-ton, because I said she didn't really punish him for it."
"Know that I did not," Yoda murmured.
"Yeah, Master Tcirts-ton didn't want to risk anyone finding out. She even mind-wiped the girl!"
"And know this, how do you?"
Anakin froze. I am soooooo stupid.
Yoda waited, but not long, "Spy on Lavir and Master Tcirts-ton as discuss it they did?"
"No, sir. Not exactly."
"Your droid did then?"
"No!" Anakin exclaimed. If he thinks Kaely did it, they'll make me get rid of her! Kaely panicked as she finally understood what Yoda said and darted around to hide behind Anakin's back. She peeked at Yoda from over Anakin's shoulder and screeched indignantly at the wizened master.
"Kaely doesn't have anything to do with this," Anakin sulked. "I saw it in Lavir's mind."
Yoda looked skeptical, "Strong enough to break through Lavir's shields, you are not yet. Even with the Darkside."
"I didn't have to, his mental shields were down."
"Notice your intrusion he should have."
"He was unconscious."
Yoda had enough of Anakin's evasiveness, "Explain from the beginning!"
"Months ago, during the glowing incident in the dinning hall, Lavir and a bunch of other Padawans were all knocked out and stuck inside the glow range."
"Remember this I do," Yoda encouraged him in a softer tone.
"I started seeing things from their minds. It wasn't happening really fast and it hurt, so I stopped it as quick as I could. I don't remember much of what I saw." Anakin's voice trailed off.
"And then, chose to see more of Lavir's memories, you did."
Well, there goes my hope that he'd assume I only saw things once by accident. Anakin sighed.
Anakin opened his mouth to defend his reasons, but Yoda cut him off. "Try to justify using the Darkside, do not!"
"Good reason they had," Yoda almost whispered and then looked back up at Anakin. "To leave you here."
Anakin only blinked at Yoda in confusion.
"Sensed, your masters did, that something very wrong, there was. Gave you a chance to confess."
Anakin thought back to just before Obi-wan and Master Qui-gon left, "They kept saying that there was something that they had to find out before it would be safe to take me on missions again. But I didn't know what they meant."
"If concealed you did, stay to find out they would have," Yoda explained. "Yet you did not, they felt safe to leave you, otherwise they would not have."
"Separate you from Qui-gon and Obi-wan again we will not," Yoda told him wearily. "Too much..."
Yoda didn't finish his sentence, but he didn't have to. Anakin knew what he was saying. I'm too much for you to keep out of trouble.
"To the Council this must go. Remain here."
As Yoda left, Anakin slouched in despair with only Kaely to keep him company.
***
Anakin spent most of the hours stretched out on the floor by the holo-terminal waiting for Yoda to call him while his droid hovered protectively. He had plenty of time to think about his actions and was rather surprised at how long it took before true guilt and regret set in.
"Kaely, what have I done to myself?"
The droid really had no way of helping. She just gave a few mournful beeps.
"How am I ever going to prove that I am worthy to be a Jedi?" The one thing Anakin didn't fear was being expelled entirely. No, they won't risk losing me now that they are so sure I'm the Chosen One. Especially after this mess I've caused. They'll be really watching me now.
However, Anakin had good reason to fret, just the same. "They might still send me away from the Temple, though. Make Master Qui-gon and Obi-wan take me away where I can't hurt anyone and not bring me back until after they were confident that I'm not dangerous anymore."
Anakin groaned. "I hope I haven't wrecked things that badly. I like living here."
As he thought about his predicament, Kaely suddenly flew into view and dropped an object on Anakin's chest. Instantly, she darted away.
"Hey!" Anakin yelped as she returned with a second that landed on his head this time. "What are you doing?!"
Anakin sat up to examine the items. One was a package of dried meat and the other was cleaning sponge. He turned around as Kaely dumped a stringy looking red vegetable in his lap and zipped back to the kitchen. As Anakin watched in confusion, she randomly selected yet another thing from the cabinet. This time it was a heavy sack of bread. It weighted the little droid down and she labored to carry it to him.
Finally the answer came to him, "Kaely, thanks for trying to help, but I'm not very hungry."
She dropped the bread on the floor beside him and squawked. Drifting down to the pile of stuff, she hauled up the sponge. Kaely beeped insistently.
"Yes, I know I should eat, but I can't eat that. Its not food,"
Kaely moaned at him and released the sponge letting it fall to the ground.
"Yes, I know that I use other stuff to help me eat, but that isn't one of them," Deciding to humor her, Anakin pulled out some of the bread. "There, happy now?"
She cooed at him pleasantly and flew over to land on the arm of Yoda's chair. Anakin stretched back out on the floor and resumed pouring out his thoughts and feelings to his droid.
"I'll have to apologize to Lavir for accusing him falsely and for the Darkside stuff I did months ago." Anakin mumbled between bites. "That will help some, but I'm still going to be really punished for this."
Kaely gave an electronic sigh. She was getting good at answering sympathetically at all the right times.
The console finally beeped. Anakin looked at the flashing light soberly before keying the message. But he already knew what it was. The Council had summoned him.
***
The Anakin Skywalker that arrived at the Council Chambers late that evening was humble and very stressed out. I haven't felt this deserted in years. Anakin thought as he made the suddenly long walk to the center of the room. There were only seven of the Council present and Anakin wasn't sure if that would be a good thing or seriously to his disadvantage.
Lavir and his master were already there and from the looks of it, had been for some time. Lucky guy. I don't have my masters here to defend me.
Lavir's master was the same height as her Padawan and very strong looking. She had a motherly feel to her in Lavir's memories that Anakin had seen, but of course Master Tcirts-ton's demeanor towards Anakin was only cold.
Anakin had to struggle to pull his eyes from the floor to meet Lavir's gaze, "I apologize for my cruel actions, Lavir. They were not only unjustified, but also made in anger. Please forgive me."
"Of course," Lavir answered quietly. "Likewise I ask that you forgive me for setting a bad example. I could have prevented this from getting out of control if I'd only heeded my training."
Anakin blinked in surprise. He's apologizing to me?! And Yoda made it look like he didn't do anything wrong.
"Both of you are forbidden from speaking of this entire brawl and it's repercussions with anyone other then your own masters," Mace announced.
"However, we are not going to allow you to avoid each other either. You must learn to put this behind you and move on without resentment. Over time you two will be required to work as a team on a variety of projects and possibly on missions. These ongoing tests will show whether or not you have overcome this and learned to co-operate."
Lavir looked suddenly very relieved and Anakin had to fight to not glance suspiciously at him. Master Tcirts-ton never said a word as Mace dismissed her and Lavir. No mention was made of Lavir's past use of the Darkside and likewise they did not discuss Anakin's from months ago. Anakin waited stiffly for the Council to speak again now that they had him alone.
"Your punishment for this will be decided by your masters when they return, Padawan Skywalker," Mace said formally. "Until then, you are restricted from all other extra activities. You will not join the other Padawans at lunch and your afternoon free time will be spent in more training."
"Yes, sir."
Anakin was grateful that the Council wasn't taking his punishment into their own hands. I can live without my friends, they are all avoiding me right now anyway. And I know that Master Qui-gon and Obi-wan will be fair. Anakin was very surprised when Mace continued speaking instead of dismissing him like he expected.
"We have determined that the punishment Padawan Ruoy underwent was sufficient at the time, however he must be re-evaluated. This evaluation he will undergo is comparable to shorter and less intense version of the Trials."
Anakin jerked in surprise. They didn't have to tell me this. They truly had no reason to. But I'm glad they did.
***
The first two days of Anakin's restriction were anything but dull. Yoda did everything he could to keep him too busy to get in trouble. Anakin found himself collapsing in exhaustion both nights and reluctantly being hauled out much earlier in the morning then he was used to. Yoda thought up some of the strangest tasks to have Anakin do. Everything from spending hours crawling through ductwork to check for whether it needed maintenance, to seeing how long he could keep five objects levitated.
And through it all, Yoda never once let Anakin out of his sensing range and rarely out of sight. So, it was with considerable relief that Yoda told him that he could still attend the prophecy classes. Eagerly, Anakin followed the ancient master through the halls and didn't bother to gripe about being escorted to the class. Anakin was actually surprised that Yoda wasn't going to sit in the back of the room to watch over him during the lesson. Yoda left him at the door and reminded Anakin that he'd return when the class ended.
Anakin entered the room with a smile on his face and was delighted to see that no one had arrived yet. Yoda had brought him early due to the slow pace he walked and Anakin was glad. Setting his datapad on a desk, Anakin put his head on his arms and prepared to take a short and much needed nap. With luck, he might even be able to get away with snoozing through today's lesson.
Anakin was brought back to awareness by a persistent whispering. He raised his head to look groggily at those making the offending noise. There was a large group of the Padawans who attended the class all huddled by the door. They hushed the moment they realized he was watching them.
Oh joy, even the older Padawans are shunning me. By now Anakin was past caring. Well, so long as they do their gossiping over there I'll be able to sleep.
Anakin dropped his head back down and shut his eyes. He jerked when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Anakin looked up again, but this time one of the other students had left the group. She drew her hand away quickly and looked very nervous, but much bolder then her comrades huddled by the exit.
"Is it true?"
Anakin blinked at her. Oh, great now I gotta confirm or deny the rumors? Can't they just leave me alone? I don't know if I'd really be able to do any damage control at this point. They've had too many days to yak about it.
Visibly gathering her courage the young woman continued, "Everyone has just been going crazy wanting to know. We don't dare ask our masters, they'd just tell us that it's none of our business," She prattled. "We've tried to be patient really, but please, could you tell us?"
"Just say yes or no, and I won't bother you about it again!" She added quickly when she saw Anakin grimace.
Deciding that just telling the truth would have to do, Anakin answered her in a miserable tone that he hoped didn't sound whiney, "Yeah."
Her reaction was nothing like he anticipated. She stumbled backward and actually tripped over her own feet. The clump of Padawans by the door gasped loudly in almost perfectly unison.
Okay, this is now officially weird.
Anakin stood to help the woman up. She stared up at him with wide eyes and tried to speak again but no sound passed through her lips. The commotion at the back of the room grew more intense and the door opened and closed several times.
"He's WHAT?!"
Lavir Ruoy bounded past the Padawans and stopped short one row of chairs behind Anakin. Anakin felt both agitated and reassured to see him. So, Lavir passed that evaluation or he wouldn't be here. But I think the Council knew he would.
Anakin waited for him to speak while the girl went to join the others. At least I don't have to worry about Lavir getting thrown out of the Temple and coming after me to get revenge later.
"I just heard today," Lavir said breathlessly. "I couldn't believe it."
"I..." Anakin tried to speak.
Lavir stepped forward and in a hoarse whisper asked, "This is what sparked our fight?"
"Lavir," Anakin glanced at the still chattering crowd and also whispered. "Lavir, I still don't know what is going on."
Lavir's eyebrows nearly went to his hairline, "Well, then let me inform you!"
Lavir backed up a little and raised his voice so that the others could hear, "In the last several months, almost a year, some have noticed that you seem to spend a lot of time with the members of the High Council."
The rest of the class drew closer as Lavir spoke. They could always count on Lavir to be audacious enough to find out the things they wouldn't dare. Anakin begin to feel a little claustrophobic as they grew near.
"And a few months ago, rumors began that you are being personally trained by each of them, Anakin."
Anakin looked sharply and accusingly at Lavir.
"But it wasn't me!" Lavir insisted. "I don't know who found out first, but it I did see proof myself later. I didn't confirm the rumor." Lavir told him carefully.
That, Anakin could believe. Lavir would have preferred that no one knew. It wasn't to his advantage. Well, the Council won't like this, but it's not my fault.
"Yes, I have been getting extra lessons from the Council, but its only because I need them!" Anakin explained.
Lavir nodded, "Yes, it is clear that you do."
Anakin did his best to ignore the insult. The crowd watched in silence and didn't seem to notice the animosity between Lavir and himself, so Anakin added, "And it really is none of your business."
The group resumed murmuring anyway. Lavir finished pausing dramatically and prepared to speak again, but one of the others interrupted before he got a chance. Leaning forward over a chair the excited young man said, "Yes, Lavir is right, as the Chosen One, you do need plenty of special training."
Anakin became very still and didn't breathe. Why... how did... when? He thought incoherently.
The students quieted suddenly and Anakin recovered his voice, "You aren't supposed to know that." He struggled to keep calm. And because I said yes earlier when that girl asked 'if it was true' I've already confirmed it.
However, only half the Padawans heard him. The rest were looking at the door where the instructor was standing with empty arms and a pile of datacards lying at her feet where she'd dropped them. Datacards that contain the quiz for the lesson about the Prophesy of the Chosen One they'd learned the previous weeks.
Realizing that she'd probably heard everything, Anakin jumped to his feet. Unable to control his growing panic any longer, he bolted past everyone and into the hall.
Lavir's initial outburst in the classroom made more sense now, as did everyone else's odd reactions. It was no wonder that everyone had avoided him that morning four days ago. They were too shocked that it might be true and too respectful of his feelings to out right ask.
Or maybe they were just too timid. It's amazing that Suoicarg and Elbaima actually had the courage to sit with me at lunch anyway.
Anakin dashed through the corridors heedless of the stares. He completely ignored the few reprimands. Rudely, Anakin slid into a turbolift before a Knight could enter and keyed the door shut. Alone and very irritated, Anakin fought to curb his impatience. If I could, I'd just hop out of a window and levitate to the Council Spire windows and go in that way. To bad those windows don't open. Anakin fantasized.
Finally, the lift reached its destination and Anakin managed to refrain from bounding out. Stiffly, he stopped outside of the huge closed doors of the Council Chamber.
Master Qui-gon made it look so easy. Just shove them open and boldly walk in like you own the place.
Anakin didn't move a muscle.
As it happened, he didn't have to barge in. Yoda, along with the rest of the Council, had sensed Anakin's hurried approach. Taking pity on the boy, one of the doors's opened and Yoda hobbled out.
"We have a problem," Anakin began.
***
Anakin was back to waiting. Yoda had listened to him with varying degrees of surprise and dismay. Anakin was sure if he felt relieved or disgruntled that Yoda had sent him back to his quarters and had not included Anakin in their discussion on how to handle this. As he stretched out on his bed and dosed, Anakin chose relieved. Let them figure it all out. If I tried I'd go crazy.
Anakin returned to full alertness as he sensed Yoda coming finally. He skittered out of bed and into the main room just as the door slid open. Yoda shuffled in carrying two items, a compactly folded wooden slat contraption and a ball of twine.
Yoda sat them on the floor where Anakin knelt, "Assemble the frame and this string, thread through the holes."
"Yes, Master Yoda," Anakin replied quietly and began following Yoda's instructions.
Yoda said no more and slowly made his way to the kitchen. He took his time preparing and brewing tea for himself. He's testing my patience again. Anakin sighed. Fine, I can be patient. I've been patient all afternoon, a few more minutes won't hurt.
In the meantime, Kaely peeked out of Anakin's room. She was always leery of being in the apartment alone with Yoda and would stay close to Anakin most of the time. Seeing that Yoda's back was turned, she zipped into sight and flew over to her maker to examine what he was doing.
Kaely cheerfully helped Anakin with frame. She had accompanied him on all of the meaningless tasks Yoda had required Anakin to do. And Yoda had never barred her from assisting him, though admittedly she wasn't able to really help much. At last, Yoda decided that he'd stalled long enough and slowing returned to Anakin. He sipped his tea in contemplation before speaking.
"Anticipate, we did not," Yoda began. "That discover, they would. First the Padawans, especially not."
"How did they all find out?"
"How, matters little," Yoda told him. "Perhaps later, find out we will. For now, focus on that they know, we must."
Anakin nodded, Yeah, but I don't think there is anything to be done. They know and they are going to keep gossiping about it for awhile. Kaely snipped off a piece of the string and began threading it through one of the rows of tiny holes to help Anakin. She liked the colorful strands of the twine.
"Certain you are, that all Padawans in the Temple know?"
"Yes and they've had four days to talk, so its probably reached the Crèche by now."
"Little there is to do now. Inform all of the masters we must."
"Are they going to talk a lot about me, too?" Anakin asked woefully.
"Yes," Yoda didn't sound any happier. "For a time. Expect more from you they will. Harder to endure it will be."
Anakin took Yoda's warning seriously. Everything is going to be more difficult. And everyone will be watching me even closer now. From here on, my every mistake and failing will be on display and their usual politeness won't stop them from talking about it in length. Yoda's not kidding, this is going to be terrible.
As Anakin thought about how he was going to deal with the next few days, Yoda turned to carry his cup back to the kitchen and staggered. Anakin looked up from his work in surprise as Yoda regained his balance and thankfully didn't fall. The old master poked his gimer stick at a colorful thread stretching from the large wooden frame to his ankle. Anakin struggled to suppress a laugh as Yoda untied his foot.
Yoda didn't bother even accusing Anakin of the prank, he knew who the culprit was. Naturally, Kaely was nowhere to be seen. Returning his cup to the kitchen, Yoda quietly left for his own room.
"You can come out now."
From his tabard lapels, the pink droid poked one little sensor out to check for sure that Yoda was gone before coming out.
"Kaely, I don't think anyone can trip Master Yoda," Anakin consoled her and grinned. "But it was a very good try."
The apartment's door beeped suddenly, and Anakin reluctantly stood up from his work. Probably someone from the Council. Anakin felt outward to determine who was there and grinned. He scrambled for the door at full speed and keyed it open.
Obi-wan grinned back at him, "Hi, Ani! Miss us?"
"We wanted to surprise you," Qui-gon added smiling.
***
"What a mess."
Qui-gon glanced at his friend murmuring quietly to himself, "There is little we can do now."
Obi-wan nodded absently, "I'd hoped they all wouldn't discover he is the Chosen One so soon."
"We must make the best of it," Qui-gon couldn't help reminding him. "Have you heard how they learned of this yet?"
"No, and I don't expect to," Obi-wan leaned against Anakin's worktable and crossed his arms. "It could have been something as simple as one of the Padawans seeing a vision of Ani. Or just one of his classmates in the prophesy class recognizing that Anakin's power makes him a likely candidate. And thereby deducing that is why Ani was in the class, despite his age. And though its very unlikely, someone could have overheard the Council or even us talking, even though we've been careful."
"Regardless, it was the will of the Force that they know now."
"And the Council doesn't like that."
"Too bad," Qui-gon didn't smile, but the unwavering certainty in his voice was there. "They must accept it and move on. Dislike will change nothing."
"We've not prepared Anakin to deal with it."
"Perhaps he is ready nonetheless," Qui-gon walked to the largest window in their apartment. "He passed all of Master Yoda's tests and irritations."
Obi-wan brightened, that was encouraging. Yoda had tested Anakin constantly for three days by plying the teenager with menial and bizarre tasks. Ani's reaction to the meaningless work had proven that he was capable of patience, accepting punishment, and diligent as he didn't shirk the work or be sloppy.
"I still cannot think of a suitable punishment for his use of the Darkside both months ago and for attacking Padawan Ruoy."
"The Tournament is next week, we could bar Anakin from entering."
The annual lightsaber tournament was the biggest test of a Padawan's skill in saber combat. Teams of Jedi would arrive from all over the galaxy so that all the Padawans could compete. Many of the masters and knights would volunteer to test the best fighters.
"Ani would be more likely to see that as a blessing. Before we left he was worried about being trounced by the older Padawans," Obi-wan recalled. "Refusing to let him participate wouldn't be a punishment."
Qui-gon sighed, "And the tournament isn't a privilege, it's actually a requirement." He agreed.
The door opened and Anakin trudged in. As it closed behind him, he gave a long sigh of relief.
"And how are the masses behaving today?"
Anakin looked at Obi-wan askance, "I think I preferred it when they were avoiding me."
Nervously, Anakin stood in the walkway and looked at his masters. They'd silently discussed his behavior all morning during training and afterward had stayed in the apartment and told Anakin to go to lunch. Waiting for the verdict was getting very hard.
"Anakin," Qui-gon said. "If someone deliberately intruded into your memories, and then later attacked you with that knowledge, what punishment do you think they would deserve?"
Anakin tensed up and stared. Is he giving me a chance to choose my own, or is this another test? Anakin thought frantically. I have to answer honestly. If I try to make it lenient I'll have failed if it's a test.
"At first I'd want him to be expelled, though I know that wouldn't happen," Anakin voice was very strained. "I wouldn't trust him again for a long time and I'd want everyone to know what he'd done so that they wouldn't be fooled into trusting him. I wouldn't want to even see him, so I'd want to send him away." Anakin's voice became quieter as he told them his worst fear. "I'd put him someplace like the Agri-corps and wouldn't let him come back to the Temple until I was sure it was safe."
Anakin waited with his head bowed. So, he didn't see the looks of approval on his masters' faces and for a moment didn't sense their relief through the training bond due to his own emotional turmoil.
"You must focus on overcoming your weaknesses, Ani," Obi-wan told him. "However, we don't have to lock you away somewhere to do that and everyone does not need to know."
"We will put you through a strict regiment of tests and training, but how long this takes will depend on you giving it your full attention," Qui-gon said. "We must work on your snap judgments, anger, your tendency to not depend on others when you need to, and yes even your discomfort with being the Chosen One is a weakness that can destroy you. And most of all, that you do not recognize the Darkside until after you've used it."
Qui-gon took a breath and Obi-wan continued for him, "You will have no time to work on your droid or any of your other mechanical projects, while training to conquer these failings. And it will remain this way until you succeed, no matter how long it takes. However, you will still have a little time to be with your friends. We will not allow you to avoid the other Padawans entirely."
"Teaching you these lessons here at the Temple only goes so far," Qui-gon explained. "You will learn best by experiencing and seeing the example of how the galaxy fails and succeeds with these same struggles. We need to take you on missions, provided you heed our orders and cease learning the hard way by doing it wrong the first time."
"Thank you," Anakin managed to smile slightly. "I'll box up my droid stuff today." They could see that the loss of his hobby pained him, but Anakin was willing, as it was only a small and temporary part of his punishment. Anakin went to his room to begin pulling out all of the extra tools and parts in his cabinets.
"He needs to be tested," Obi-wan pointed out quietly. "Seriously tested, on our next mission if possible." Obi-wan looked at Qui-gon knowingly, but didn't say what he was thinking aloud.
"Yes. It will be a harsh ordeal," Qui-gon gazed out the window at Coruscant's brilliant mid-day bustle. They had discussed this test while they were away from the Temple, but had hoped that they would not need to put Anakin through it.
"Ani may wish we'd just given him a simpler punishment instead, once he learns of this test," Obi-wan said sorrowfully.
"I know he will," Qui-gon answered. "But it must be done."
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