Author's Note: If case anyone was wondering I don't own Star Wars, George Lucas does.
Chapter 2
Sebulba had won the race again, Anakin thought in frustration. It was one thing to lose to another racer who was better than him and won fair and square, but no Sebulba never raced fairly and always cheated. Then afterwards he always mocked him because he was not only a slave but he was a human and humans couldn't be a podracer. However Anakin knew that he could succeed and win. He was the better although he was a more experienced racer Anakin always knew that he was better and he would make a great pilot. It was unusual for a slave to have dream like his, to be a Jedi, a great pilot, and to visit all the planets that he could, because all a slave ever dreamed about was getting freedom if they could ever imagine a life with freedom. However Anakin was a usual slave, he kept his dreams close to his heart.
He was gifted or cursed depending on your point of view. He had the ability to tell when someone was lying to him, whether or not the meant him harm. He could also know what was going to happen before it did. One gift he had that his master found out about was that he could "see" what the other Sabacc players had in their hands so he would always win. When Watto found out that Anakin was so gifted at Sabacc he made certain that he played often and of course Watto kept the money. Even he could not fully explain how he was able to have the quickest reflexes that anyone had ever seen if among non-humans, some people joked that he was faster than the Jedi themselves. Mos Epsa is not a friendly city, and not safe one for a young child to grow up especially if he was slave that had as many rivals as he did. There were occasions when fights would break out and one thing that Anakin learned very quickly that it doesn't matter if you lose, but how you lose. If you back down and surrender you get killed, but if you stand your ground and fight back until you can't go anymore than the people who would have killed you before will respect you and leave you alone, for the most part.
His mother was the reason that he kept going. His mother had the ability to lighten a room no matter who was in it. Anakin was not as oblivious as people thought he was. He knew what happened to female slaves, but that never seemed to happen to his mother so he was somewhat thankful that Watto was their owner instead of someone who would just use his mother as a sex slave. As much as he loved his mother ne knew that there was something that was missing from his life. He needed a father figure. He had over heard some of the smugglers at the cantina talk about how great there father was and how he taught them everything they knew and was always there for them. (AN: I know highly unlikely for a smuggler, but needed a reason for Anakin to latch on to Qui-gon so quickly). That is what he wanted. He wanted a father to teach him things, although he was great at mathematics and mechanics he wanted someone to teach him the things he didn't know. Watto didn't think it was necessary to teach a slave so he would never do it, but he could never think of his master as a father. What Anakin didn't know was that he didn't want someone to teach him things, but to be there for him. What he really wanted was someone to talk to and who could understand him. His mother loved him and would do anything she could for him, but there were some things she just couldn't do. He knew that was different. His unique abilities made him a valuable slave and it also gave a little bit of protection from some of his enemies. Most people would be appalled at the thought of a nine year old having enemies, but for Anakin this was just the way life was. He used his abilities to win Sabacc and Podracing and the result was that when people lost money there took out on the person they thought was responsible and unfortunately that was him. However, Anakin was undaunted by the this fact he was not arrogant, but he believed that his future and destiny awaited beyond Tatooine, and he could not wait for the day when he would leave this dust ball of a planet with his mother and go somewhere where there was no such thing as slavery. As Anakin looked into the night sky he said, "I don't know if someone is out there, but if you are and you're listening to me can you hurry up and help me leave this planet.
Yet even in his wildest imagination could Anakin have imagined what was about to happen, because the force had decided it was time for the Chosen to leave this world and enter the galaxy. For tomorrow a small Naboo cruiser would land on Tatooine and change the future of the galaxy.
AN: Second chapter done, next chapter will introduce Qui-gon, Obi-wan and Padme and will get some interaction between characters. These first two chapters were just to set the background for the story.