AN: MERRY CHRISTMAS! Or whatever you celebrate. This had to be done. Yup, a Shift!verse Christmas special - you'll see even more changes here... The Force has been interpreted differently for one. Not really comfortable with the original Star Wars explanation for Anakin's birth and the Son of Suns thing? Well, I thought a little about it and decided to go Percy Jackson on Star Wars. Except, the Force is a whole lot more chaste. Hope no one screams in indignation about the additional changes in the Shift!verse...

Cheers,

Eastonia

Drabble 1: Of the Solstice Celebration

Jedi Temple Gardens – Corellia.

"'KIIIN! KIIIN! KIIIN!"

17 year old Anakin Skywalker mentally sighed and shook his head as he good naturedly turned around and knelt down. Meeting little 3 year old Han Alon's eyes that stared up at him.

"Yes Han?"

"Do you know what the Force is getting me for the Solstice? Do you? Do you?"

"Nope. You'll have to wait till tomorrow little one."

"I AM NOT LITTLE!"

"Fine, you're not. I'm just giantanic."

"Uh huh."

The brown eyed brunette nodded vigorously at him

"Come on Han, let's get you to bed."

"NO! I can't sleep… Too… Ummm… How do you say that word when you're reaaallly happy because of something that's coming?"

"Excited?"

"YES! Excited!"

"How about a story then?"

"Story?"

"Yup. Of how the Solstice Celebration came to be. And why the winter Solstice is the one we call the Solstice celebration and why the summer Solstice is largely forgotten."

"Tell me. Tell me. Tell me!"

"Alright,"

Anakin bent to pick up the toddler, slinging him over his shoulder and letting Han sit upright, anchored only by Anakin's hands.

"But first, let's get you tucked in."

Crèche, Jedi Temple – Corellia.

"Now will you tell me?"

Anakin rolled his eyes and ruffled the boy's hair

"Brat."

Han giggled

"Okay, so here goes…"

Once upon a time, before the Force was known as the Force, sentient creatures still recognised the pantheon as separate personalities, not a single entity. There were eight in all and all were considered Forces of nature. All were purely midi-chlorians.

The first was the Hearts. The High Queen of Valryus – home of the pantheon known as the Force. She ruled with a just hand and a merciful heart.

The second was her first born, the Sun. He too was justice and mercy. He was known as the most powerful of them.

The third was the Winds.

The fourth was the Lands.

The fifth was the Waters.

The sixth was the Fires.

The seventh was the Wisdom.

The last was her youngest – the Darkness. He was mysterious and distant. But appreciated by all; all the same.

Sentients loved the Force, and in return, the eight of the Force loved them, guarded them and protected them.

But all good things have to go through time of trial, to determine if they are strong durasteel or malleable. And Chaos entered the heart of the Darkness.

He grew power-hungry. Refusing the Fires and the Sun to appear. Engulfing everything, plunging the planets into ice. Without warmth from the Fires and light from the Sun, nothing could grow and the worlds slowly started starving. Indeed, Hoth remains a reminder of those dark times.

The stars winked out. Soon none could distinguish between the Darkness and Chaos. He became known as the Dark. Spiteful, deceitful and evil.

But the sentients remained warm, and gave to each other, supporting each other through those dark times, this inspired the seven. Together they shared out the entirety of their power. The Sun exploded into pure, radiant brilliance, returning energy to the galaxy.

The day they drove the Dark back was the day of the winter Solstice. In honour of the generosity that inspired the remaining seven, the Force gave the galaxy guardians in tune with their own beings.

In memory of that Solstice, the Solstice celebration was created.

"… A time of giving and of hope, a time when all set aside their differences to remember the actions that saved us all… And you're asleep…"

Obi-Wan popped his head into the crèche.

"Thought I would find you here."

"Han couldn't sleep, he was too excited for the Celebration tomorrow."

"Oh, you told him how the Solstice Celebration came to be?"

"Yup. I don't think he would remember it though…"

"Funny, I said the same thing to… You know… when I first told you this story, apparently you still remember…"

"Never forgot. Though I did, heavily simplify it."

"Midnight. Merry Solstice little brother."

"Merry Solstice big brother."

And a warm feeling overcame Anakin for a moment as he smiled.

"Funny, sometimes I feel like my father is right here with me. I guess he wants me to be happy in this time of the season."

"We're all supposed to be happy. Gifts come dawn! And I think it's high time you receive your real Apprentice day present."

"Oh? No more trips into the 'saber crystal caves for random promises please!"

The brothers laughed and the Sun looked at his mother as she nodded. One last lingering look at his son and one of the seven aspects of the Light Side of the Force returned with the Queen of Valyrus to seek a way to restore the lost eighth.

AN: See what I mean? Once again a very Merry Christmas! And good tidings to all of you! The Slide will be updated soon... If Padmé and Anakin ever stop talking...