Anakin had done his best not to get tired of Master Yoda, he really had. But after a day and a half of near-silent meditation and being stared at cryptically, he hadn't been able to stand it any longer. This was ridiculous. Even Master Obi-Wan wouldn't have approved of such pointless wasting of time when Anakin could be doing much more important things, like trying to figure out how to crack his Master's infuriating sabre defences. Then again, if Obi-Wan objected to it, he probably wouldn't say anything anyway.
Anakin much preferred to continue with missions instead of sitting around here thinking pointlessly. Being at the Temple always squashed Anakin's spirit. It wasn't the buildings themselves; as grandiose as some of them were, most were actually very beautiful. Anakin especially liked the gardens, when he could be there alone. But he could never truly be alone. The problem with the Temple was that there were far too many Jedi for Anakin's liking. He had a theory that all the sober thoughts floating around through the Force made everyone who entered grumpy.
Anakin was sure that Master Yoda realised he was doing more silent grumbling than meditating, but for some reason, the old Jedi said little about it. Every once in a while, Anakin would shift his meditation position in an exaggerated manner or let out a discontented groan. Yoda said nothing.
Was this how the little Jedi treated all of his students, or did he only like to waste the Chosen One's time? Anakin wasn't sure, but it was infuriating anyway. He'd only suffered through a few days of Yoda's initiate classes before it was decided, wisely he thought, that he was better off just learning from Obi-Wan and not among five year olds. But now here Anakin was, back with Master Yoda and being treated like an initiate. He wasn't quite sure what bringing balance to the Force would mean, of course, but he was pretty sure it didn't have anything to do with balancing stones on his head.
Anakin's patience had lasted until the second afternoon. He was rather proud of that. Finally, he'd suggested, as politely as he could, that neglecting physical skills in exchange for sitting around on rocks and in trees was maybe not the most brilliant idea Master Yoda had had in his however many centuries of teaching.
That had been a mistake.
Yoda had immediately set him to what many padawans grudgingly referred to as 'blind drills'- exercises designed to supposedly improve physical strength without Force reliance. As a result, Anakin had spent the next two days of his treasured time with Yoda trying to punch a candle out.
The candle had been placed on a low wall just at Anakin's waist level. At first Yoda had instructed him to stand so that the flame was only a hair's breadth from his outstretched right arm. Of course, at first he had blown it out with the Force without moving. That had nearly earned him a whack on the shin, but he'd dodged it. Unfortunately, it also prompted Yoda to carefully monitor and block Anakin's use of the Force. He could still feel its presence but was unable to manipulate it.
This especially annoyed Anakin. It was unnecessary and useless. He could have overpowered Master Yoda if he wanted to. Not that he would, of course. He preferred not to go deaf from Obi-Wan's shouting in his ear for several hours, which would be the inevitable outcome. So Anakin gritted his teeth but did not resist.
The exercise hadn't been too difficult at first. It only took him three tries to create a puff of air strong enough to blow the flame out the first time. But then Yoda had moved it farther away. Then farther. It was currently the late afternoon of the fourth day of his time with Yoda. The candle was about ten centimetres from the end of Anakin's fist. It had been there since the midday meal.
Master Yoda was seated behind the candle on the wide wall, his eyes shuttered closed at the moment, though Anakin knew he was probably completely aware of his student. That didn't stop the young man from aiming through the flame and for the Jedi Master's midsection in his mind's eye.
Over and over, Anakin punched at the flame, putting all his physical strength into it. His swings were fuelled by his incredible frustration, but it didn't help. The flame stayed lit, the candle slowly shrinking as the hot white wax rolled down its sides.
Anakin was just about to reach out and snap the stupid thing in half when someone suddenly spoke.
"I hope you don't expect to put it out at that range," Obi-Wan said from somewhere behind. "Because unfortunately I must tell you that you will not succeed."
Startled Anakin whirled around. "Master!" he exclaimed, his displeasure with Obi-Wan entirely forgotten for the moment. Anakin had a bizarre desire to throw himself at Obi-Wan's feet, wrap his arms around his Master's boots, and beg to be taken as far away from Yoda as possible. Figuring that wouldn't go over very well, Anakin bowed instead. As Obi-Wan's actual words registered, the young man grew incredulous. "What do you mean, I won't succeed?"
Obi-Wan looked the young man up and down. "For one thing, you've nearly exhausted yourself," he noted.
For the first time, Anakin realised his neck and arms were dripping with sweat. By contrast, he noticed, Obi-Wan looked relaxed and well-rested. Anakin wondered what his Master had been doing the last four days.
"More importantly," Obi-Wan added, "we all have limits. Especially without access to the Force."
"That's why Jedi use the Force, isn't it? To extend our limits?" Anakin couldn't help letting his irritation show in his tone.
Master Yoda finally spoke up. "The Force itself, are you?" he asked in his mocking rhetorical manner. His ears perked up as he made his point. "Powerful you are, but have limits you do."
Anakin bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from sighing, or worse, from screaming. This was just the sort of indecipherable 'lesson' Yoda had been giving him every few hours. Then, of course, the Jedi Master would fall back into silence. Anakin wasn't learning anything, and he had wondered if he was even supposed to. Maybe he'd been right from the start- maybe Yoda only wanted to observe him. The possibility made him wish he'd shielded his thought better.
"Master," Obi-Wan addressed the elder Jedi, "I received your message. You said you had a mission for us?"
Anakin's face brightened. He looked at Obi-Wan hopefully. The Jedi Master waved his hand slightly as if to say "patience".
Nodding, Yoda replied, "Prepare for the journey, Padawan Skywalker should."
Anakin was about to protest. He wanted to hear the details of the mission, but the expression the old Jedi Master wore insinuated he wanted to talk with Obi-Wan alone. Anakin could guess at why, and was too sick of dealing with Yoda to argue this time. He didn't even consider protesting to his own master. Anakin could predict the response would be something along the lines of "You can pack your things now or you can stay here with Yoda for a few more weeks while I go".
"Yes, Masters," Anakin grumbled, bowing briefly. He turned to make his way out of the gardens, but not without letting Obi-Wan see and sense his displeasure at the whole thing.
The pointed sidelong look his padawan gave him was hardly necessary. Of course Obi-Wan had known since Mace had approached him earlier in the week that Anakin would be less than happy with their arrangements. The young Jedi Master had been displeased himself at first, but had forced himself to see it more rationally. The Council was not composed of fools. If they had a concern that he did not have, it was far more likely that he had simply erred rather than that all twelve of them had. For his part, he admitted the rest had done him good. He wasn't sure about Anakin.
"Ask too many questions the boy does," Yoda said in an exasperated voice.
Obi-Wan gave a slight smile. "I believe it's the mechanic in him; he wants to know how everything works and why."
Yoda's face wrinkled even more into a frown. "Treat the Force like a tool, he does. Fails to respect it."
That was something Obi-Wan had been very much aware of for years. "I know, Master, and I have tried to-" Obi-Wan caught himself before he continued. He knew how much Master Yoda disliked that word. There was no try. And he had not done what he aimed to do. Quietly, he restated, "I have not helped him gain a proper understanding of a Jedi's relationship to the Force."
"Mmm, never fully understand the Force can we," Yoda replied. "Nevertheless, understand your concern, I do. Powerful Jedi the boy may be, but much anger he still has."
Obi-Wan's brow furrowed. "He resents many things," he agreed. "The prophecy, the Order, myself, I feel at times."
Yoda gave him a pained stare, as though he wished he could deny those truths. But if he had been sensing out Anakin for the last several days, he had undoubtedly encountered the same difficulties Obi-Wan faced with his padawan daily. Still, Yoda offered some hope. "Great are his skills in other areas. Develop evenly, they must, but gifted differently we all are."
"Of course, Master," Obi-Wan consented. He paused before adding, "However, it sometimes seems as though Anakin doesn't care to understand or listen to the Force. He's long since decided what he believes he needs to know. It's difficult to get him to focus on anything else."
"Stubborn, is he?" Yoda's ears twitched up in mild amusement. "Remind me of someone else, he does." He looked at the young man pointedly, with gentle chiding.
Obi-Wan didn't smile at Yoda's teasing. Instead, it called to mind some of the thoughts that he'd been mulling over for the last few days. Had he been too confident in his own ability to train Anakin? Moreover, had he been stubbornly denying the boy's true potential? Obi-Wan hated any mention of the prophecy. He was unsure of whether to believe it or not, but had concluded that he only wanted to raise his padawan as he saw fit, without the inconvenience of supposed destiny hanging over their heads.
He was beginning to see that perhaps he had been wrong to ignore the possibility for so long. Recently, he'd begun to see Anakin's truly overwhelming power in the Force. It made Obi-Wan wonder. Was this what was needed to bring balance? To counter the creeping threat of the Sith?
Obi-Wan's visceral reaction to the slightest mention of the Dark Lords worried him. If faced with the enemy again, he didn't know how he would react. And he certainly didn't know how Anakin would react. Could they afford such indecisiveness?
"Worry much, you do," Yoda said, practically reading the young Jedi's open mind. "Sometimes, better it is to do than to think. Find a balance in the Force you both must." He reached into the folds of his tunic and brought out one of the small datapads used for mission briefings. "Perhaps give you more time with the Force, this task will."
Obi-Wan took the datapad in his hand and glanced at the activated screen, his eyebrows raising as soon as he saw the destination. "Dunia?" he asked, considering the implication. "The Bayir mission?" he wasn't aware it was time for that particular task yet. The years seemed to have escaped him.
Yoda nodded. "Send our best emissaries, we had promised to." He paused before adding, "Dwindling, our numbers are. Of great importance this mission is."
It was an honour, but Obi-Wan was not sure if he and Anakin really were the best Jedi representatives to send. Stop worrying, he reminded himself. He was over-thinking, trying to see the outcome in advance again. Always in motion is the future.
Obi-Wan inclined his head in a bow. "Thank you, Master. We shall do our best."
"More than that, I cannot expect," Yoda said meaningfully. Obi-Wan nodded slowly and turned to leave. But before he had, Yoda spoke again. "Obi-Wan," he said, stopping the Jedi in the middle of a step. He looked over his shoulder back at the venerable Master. When Yoda had his attention, he added, sincerely, "May the Force be with you."
