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"Anakin!" A lilting voice called sweetly.
Anakin turned to look behind him and saw a young Padawan approaching. Her round face was smiling pleasantly and the metallic ribbon woven in her Padawan braid glinted in the light.
"Hi. Mihsekil, right?"
"Oh, you remembered my name! Yes, we met after the duel you and Lavir had six months ago." She said. Anakin turned to continue down the corridor just in time to miss seeing her blush.
She began to walk beside him and they turned down the corridor onto the Singing Bridge. This long bridge spanned the width of the Music Spire halfway up. It lent a lovely view of Coruscant from the tower's gigantic windows and was a great place to listen to the concerts held at the base of the tower.
It was a beautiful place and a convenient shortcut to the gardens nearby. Anakin stopped in the middle of the bridge with Mihsekil. He was a little puzzled that she was following him. From the other end of the bridge, another girl came jogging to them.
"Hi, Anakin!" The bouncing girl said cheerfully. "Would you like to walk in the Room of a Thousand Fountains with me?"
"Ah." Anakin attempted to speak. He racked his brain for this Padawan's name.
"No, he doesn't, Selims," Mihsekil said coolly.
"Was I speaking to you?"
"He was just about to ask me to walk with him."
"But he hasn't."
"I was here first." Mihsekil stated with no emotion in her voice.
"Well, now I'm here. Well, Ani?" Selims looked up at him with a sweet smile.
Anakin stared. What is going on? Oh no! he thought in horror. I don't believe this, a Jedi catfight!
Selims grasped his tunic sleeve. "You are coming with me, aren't you, Ani." she said as a statement.
"Don't be absurd." Mihsekil countered icily from Anakin's other side. "He wants to go with me."
Anakin started to panic. Each girl was blocking the passages on the bridge. He was cornered. Gotta get away. Gotta get away. No choice. No other way.
Anakin leapt over the railing.
***
"The Music Spire has been closed until the maintenance staff can determine the extent of the structural damage." Qui-gon stated.
"I... I just didn't know what to do!" Anakin moaned pitifully.
"So you levitated up to the top of the Music Spire." Qui-gon prompted.
"It seemed like a good way to escape them. I just wanted to get away fast."
"I see." Qui-gon was trying desperately not to smile. "You do realize that neither of those Padawans can levitate themselves yet?"
"You couldn't just jump down? And was it really necessary to break the sound barrier?" Obi-wan exclaimed with glee.
"They might have followed and I didn't go anywhere near that fast!"
"Close enough. Everyone in that corner of the Temple felt the tower shake!"
"And what would you have done, Obi-wan?!" Anakin retorted hotly.
"Yes, what would have you done?" Qui-gon repeated with a grin on his face.
"Charmed both ladies into walking with me, of course." Obi-wan quipped back.
***
This will be just like the day after the bomb. Anakin had arrived at the Padawan's Dinning Hall very early. He'd planned to go into the empty room, fetch his lunch from the kitchen and sneak back to the apartment and hide out for the rest of the day.
He almost made it.
"Ani, what bizarre thing will you do next?" Suoicarg said with an exasperated look on her face.
Anakin sighed as Suoicarg and Elbaima entered the hall. The older boy glanced down at the box Anakin held and shook his head.
"Sit down Ani, you'll have to face everyone eventually, might as well get it over with all at once." He advised.
His friends grabbed their own food and they all sat at their usual table. Anakin franticly tried to think of what to say.
"Now," Suoicarg waved one elegant hand. "You can tell us all about it before the gawkers arrive."
Anakin smiled crookedly at that. "What have you heard so far?"
"That you levitated up the whole Music Spire just to escape two lovely girls." Elbaima had an incredulous look on his dusky face. "True?"
"Yeah, it's true." Anakin admitted slowly. "But I didn't know what to do! I didn't want to hurt their feelings or nothing like that."
Anakin really didn't expect either of his friends to understand. They were both more than two years older then him and never seemed to worry about romance. Suoicarg just shook her head and Elbaima gave him an amused look. Yep, they don't get it.
The first of many hungry Padawans began to trickle in. Anakin braced himself to be attacked. It didn't take long for a steady crowd to congregate around him. He tried to answer their questions and ignore most of the comments they made.
Anakin looked up at the doorway. I take it back, this is going to be worse then the day after the bomb.
Lavir Rouy had arrived.
As the eighteen year old Padawan approached him, Anakin thought back to Master Qui-gon and Obi-wan's advice.
***
"Ani, I have observed this Elite group and I can say without a doubt that Padawan Rouy does not have any where near the power he thinks he does." Obi-wan was serious and firm.
"Do not fight with this boy, but do not join his group either." Qui-gon ordered.
"Have faith in the other Padawans, if they are truly your friends they will not desert you."
"Everyone here is training to be Jedi. He will not be able to maintain his group if he reaches Knighthood."
"Such behavior is not only unbefitting of a Jedi, it is also all but impossible with the way that we are scattered across the galaxy on missions."
"Do your best not to provoke him, but stand firm, Ani." Qui-gon encouraged.
"If he continues being a problem, I'll deal with him." Obi-wan's eyes glinted dangerously.
***
Their words had reassured Anakin greatly then, but now he was struggling to remain calm. He wanted to prove that he could handle Lavir himself. The Padawans surrounding Anakin hushed their incessant babbling when they saw Lavir and made a path for the young man.
They waited expectantly for the argument they were sure would come.
"Gathering quite a crowd I see."
"I want friends, not followers." Anakin retorted.
Lavir walked to the table with his usual grace and self-assuredness. Flanking him were only two Elite today. Their small greenish metal pins that marked then as members glinted on their Padawan braids.
"Since I met you half a year ago you have made impressive progress. Have you made your decision? I won't wait any longer."
"I'm not interested in joining you. Such behavior is not only unbefitting of a Jedi, it is also all but impossible with the way that we are scattered across the galaxy on missions."
Lavir gave him a cool and dangerous smile. "A rather narrow viewpoint and unintelligent to say the least."
"Perhaps I should inform Master Obi-wan of your low opinion of him." Anakin leaned back in his chair lazily.
"What?"
"I was quoting my master."
Lavir stared and the crowd gasped in astonishment. Anakin knew that he had to say his next words very carefully. He didn't want them to know that he'd been so intimidated by Lavir that he'd gone to his masters for help. The last thing Anakin needed right now was to look like a whiny kid who couldn't handle his own problems.
"I've heard my Masters quietly discussing this 'Elite' group of yours. I discovered just yesterday that Master Obi-wan has been observing you specifically for the past two weeks at least."
Anakin paused dramatically and waited for the other Padawans to quiet their murmuring. Lavir's face was as cold as stone.
He didn't want to make Lavir a worse enemy then he already was, so he added a little. "I am glad to say that I didn't hear either of my masters speak badly of you, Lavir." Anakin knew that it was technically true, from a certain point of view.
"But they were quite certain that your Elite group is unbefitting behavior of a Jedi." Anakin repeated stubbornly.
Lavir's mask began to crack and show a glimpse of his anxiety and shock underneath. "Did you hear anything else?"
"Only that they expected your group to naturally dissolve before you are all Knights. Master Qui-gon was not concerned, but I think Master Obi-wan may keep checking up on you and the others every now and then."
He looked at Lavir and waited to see if he caught the threat. The taller Padawan's eyes flickered slightly. Yup, he got it. Anakin cheered internally. Even the Council didn't try to go up against Obi-wan. Now that I think of it, they don't argue with Master Qui-gon anymore either. Maybe the Council has finally developed some common sense?
Anakin glanced around and tried to lighten the mood slightly. "So, let's just enjoy being Padawans with our fun groups while we still can."
The crowd relaxed somewhat and several of them began to wander off chattering away. Anakin had no doubt that every Padawan in the Temple would hear about this before the day was out. And as an extra bonus, they seemed to have forgotten their intentions to pester him about the previous day's Music Spire incident.
Anakin looked at Lavir's serious expression. The young man turned and left without a word and his Elites trailed after him. I don't think that Lavir has ever thought of what would happen to his group later. Anakin was relieved to see that Lavir was backing off for now, but he knew he should remain wary.
Just in case.
***
"Good morning, Master Billaba." Anakin looked down at the delicate Jedi Master.
"Good morning, Anakin. You needn't be quite so formal." She smiled pleasantly and her dark braids swayed as she walked. "Hello, Kaely. I'm glad to meet you."
The tiny pink droid whistled cheerfully. Depa's friendliness immediately put Anakin at ease. She's seems nice, like Master Yaddle.
Master Yaddle had been very kind to Kaely and he had enjoyed her lessons. She had taught him how to use the Force to better understand Kaely's whistles. Kaely had been sad when the lessons were over. Every since then, Anakin had let his droid tag along to his other Council lessons. If it annoyed the masters, they never showed it. However, Anakin suspected that by the time he got to Yoda, she'd be banned.
Anakin followed Master Depa through the halls. He had taken to investigating and learning everything he could about the Council members before they taught him. Master Depa was actually a new member holding a temporary position. She was very talented in attuning herself to the minds and personalities of those around her.
Explains why I feel so comfortable walking with her. Anakin noted.
She led him to an older area of the Jedi Temple that Anakin's explorations had not taken him to. They finally reached a large chamber that looked as though it was once meant for speeches or announcements. There was a small slightly raised platform at one end and steps that probably once served as seats curved around the room.
It had now been converted into a garden of sorts. Anakin and Depa walked down the stairs to the last step while Kaely flew about. It wasn't really like the meditation gardens. The floor had been filled with water, leaving the platform as a kind of island. At least five steps were submerged. A few small plants and vines had taken residence on the stone stairs and crawled up the walls to hang in garlands from the ceiling.
It's awfully cold in here. Or maybe its just me, the plants don't mind.
Master Billaba sat on one of the lower steps and Anakin followed. Kaely was busy examining the flowers on the ceiling and humming to herself.
"This is a climate controlled room designed for mountain and high atmospheric plants and anything else requiring cool conditions to live."
Depa looked over at the teenager. "Your masters have taught you to build heat by rubbing together air molecules, correct?
"Yes Master Depa. I learned Pyrokinesis a few weeks ago." Anakin acknowledged. And Master Qui-gon's beard has almost grown back since I set it on fire. I don't know how he and Obi-wan manage to tolerate me. Any one else would have gone crazy by now.
"Good. Today I will begin teaching you to make things cold." Depa was serious and had what Anakin had begun calling 'the Jedi teaching expression' on her face. However, she somehow gave the impression that she was smiling, even though she wasn't.
"I chose this room for you to begin in due to its coolness. It will be easier here, later of course we will work are way up to cooling down a sauna, and in a few years you will be able to freeze fire."
"To start you must feel the air molecules, like you do with Pyrokinesis, but you must slow them down."
Anakin closed his eyes and gently allowed his awareness to see more of the room. He had to be careful lest the Force engulf him as it always tried to do. He looked for the tiny wakes the air molecules over the water made. Once he found the trails left behind he easily brought the molecules themselves into focus.
"Now, concentrate on this pond and work on freezing part of it's surface near you."
The water was already cool and Anakin grasped the water particles. He expected it to be easy. He thought he could just hold them still and they would freeze up. This isn't the same as heating stuff. To do that I just have to stir it all up and they all start bouncing off each other. This is different, I can't hold on to so much at one time.
"Relax, Anakin. This will take all morning."
How'd she know that I hate it when someone says the words 'be patient'? She has a much nicer way of telling me.
Anakin settled down for a long lesson. He found that if he held on to a group of particles long enough they would stay that way, but he had to keep grabbing the edges to prevent them from being pulled apart again. Slowly, he worked outward.
"Good." Anakin suddenly heard Depa say. "Now let go."
Anakin opened his eyes to see a small patch of ice floating on the pond's surface. He grinned and barely restrained himself from yelling 'wizard', like he would have done as a kid.
Kaely hovered over the patch of ice curiously and extended a small arm with a sensor. Anakin had just recently installed it and Kaely used every opportunity to play with her new toy.
"I know you are tired, but remember to practice this afternoon, and for an hour every day. Use a small cup of liquid or..."
Depa was interrupted by a loud splash.
"Kaely!" Anakin swiftly grabbed his little droid from the chilly water.
"The ice wasn't strong enough for you to land on!" Anakin scolded her. "Baby, you know you aren't water proof." Anakin groaned.
***
"Muf'te?"
Anakin glared at the ancient book in front of him. Very gently he sat the brown book on his desk. Anakin rubbed his eyes wearily and did his best to smother his frustration.
It had been almost a standard year since Obi-wan had given him two old books for his thirteenth birthday. He had not yet finished this one and Anakin felt a bit guilty about it.
Reading the green book had been difficult, but he had managed. It was a chronicle of the defeat of the Sith a thousand years ago, written by a Jedi Master who had participated in the war.
It had been a fascinating tale of adventure, danger, suspense, and lots of gory fighting. Anakin had stayed up late several nights reading it. Once he got used to the archaic words and odd spelling, that is.
That was the problem with the book of Jedi prophesies. It was even older then the other book and filled with words he had never seen before. At one point Anakin became so confused and lost he was convinced that the author had to be switching languages every other word. None of the ancient words were in the holo-terminal's dictionary.
Anakin returned to the large brown book and smoothed its faded pages covered by a protective sealant. He had abandoned it for three months in order to salvage his sanity. But just this week he'd thought to ask Master Yaddle about ancient dictionaries and she'd been happy to help.
In fact, so happy that she invited Anakin and Kaely over for lunch in her quarters. He had a great time just talking with the 481 year old Jedi Master. She was soft-spoken and treated Kaely like a person. And he loved her apartment. It was filled from floor to ceiling with thousands of tiny trinkets and books.
Master Yaddle had prepared a delightful meal. Anakin didn't recognize a thing served and curiously asked her if the round biscuit shaped thing glowed blue naturally or if that was a product of the cooking process. It had been a delicious lunch and a fun visit, even when Kaely got lost in the glittering objects hanging from the ceiling.
Thinking of his lunch with her made Anakin feel hungry and he went shuffling to the kitchen for a snack. He was alone in the apartment this afternoon, due to the fact that his masters were busy with their Initiate classes and whatever else they did in the afternoons.
He returned to his room with a plate stacked with a variety of things he grabbed randomly from the cold storage and cabinets. He sat it on the bed and looked balefully at the book on his desk.
"Muf'te, muf'te..." Anakin hunted through the old dictionary Master Yaddle had loaned him. She had told him that several retired Knights were working on compiling a dictionary of the ancient words for the holo-database. But she couldn't say if it would be completed within the next century or not. Until then he'd have to make due with another old book instead of a datapad.
He munched on something from his plate without really paying any attention to what. Obi-wan had been teasing him lately that he was eating enough to feed a bantha. And Master Qui-gon asked if he was growing an extra pair of arms or another head. Anakin didn't mind, he'd grown a lot lately and he expected he would be as tall as Obi-wan by the next year. The only thing that really bothered him was how much growing made his joints and muscles ache.
"Civilian dress worn by someone usually in uniform." Anakin couldn't help but roll his eyes.
"Then why doesn't it just say the Jedi is in disguise then?! What do they need a fancy word for?"
Anakin groaned and trudged onward. He turned the page and began scrawling down every word he didn't recognize. When finished he painstakingly translated them all and then began to read.
[In the time of greatest despair, only one, a son of suns, shall re-forge the flow.
Over the gap of terror only this one's radiance can form a bridge.
This Chosen One will rise through the peril, strife, and encompassing war
To challenge the maleficent and bring balance to the Force.]
Anakin hardly breathed as he stared at the book as if it were a rancor.
***
"He is the Chosen One," Qui-gon insisted vehemently to the Jedi Council. "You must see it!"
***
Qui-gon words spoken stubbornly from behind him four years ago echoed in his mind. He'd been a nine-year-old kid then and still reeling from the Council's rejection. He hadn't really thought about what Qui-gon had said since, except in passing.
Many things that had confused him began to slowly make sense. A nagging feeling that a terrible conflict was approaching had plagued him for months. The Council's insistence that they train him as well as Master Qui-gon and Obi-wan was now not so strange.
Something really bad is coming and they've known it for a while. Ever since Obi-wan killed that Sith probably.
***
Anakin sat in a chair in the main room, alternately pacing and then brooding perfectly still. He felt restless and frozen at the same time. He was terribly indecisive and would let his frustration burst across the training bond one moment and shield heavily the next.
His masters returned to the apartment together today. They had sensed Anakin's disquiet clearly through the bond and knew that he hadn't even tried to calm himself.
The look of shock and overwhelming purpose on Anakin's downcast face told them exactly what had happened. However they were ready for it. They had been preparing for this day since Obi-wan had first given Anakin that book.
Obi-wan wasted no time in getting to the point. "The Council has forbidden us from explaining the prophesy of the Chosen One to you, Ani."
Anakin was silent and still in the chair, but when he did answer he continued staring at the carpet. "So, you have to find sneaky ways instead. Can you tell me why they don't want you to?"
"No."
"Are Jedi prophecies, in general, reliable?"
Qui-gon answered him. "Yes, they are. What little we see of the future is often accurate, though fluid and lacking details. Generally, we see possibilities we seek to alter, such as a vision of a friend in danger. Visions of distant events are always vague, but usually completely correct. However, frequently such occurrences have also been so subtle that we could not identify that the prophecy had happened until it was all over with."
"So knowing how to change something coming way ahead is really hard." Anakin mumbled half to himself, half to them. Without another word he left and went to his room.
I think I'm glad that Master Yaddle didn't ask me what book I needed that dictionary for.
In the other room Obi-wan and Qui-gon moved to look out the alcove's window at Coruscant.
"Just as we expected." Obi-wan murmured quietly.
Qui-gon agreed. "He will either resign himself to it or fight it now. We must remain alert."
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