A/N: Just turned 20 today. I've got this and the next chapter on standby already, so I just decided to upload for the heck of it. The uploads likely won't be that far apart since I wrote so far ahead, but the only thing I haven't done is edit them. Which doesn't take too long. So here you go.
There was something... different in the way Anakin did his teaching. It was far more patient, and it was like watching... well, it nostalgically reminded Obi-Wan of the way Qui-Gon taught him the ways of the Force. But Anakin's feats seemed more eased; like it took no effort to do things like absorb a blaster bolt with his hand, or even resist the impact of a saber forcing its way toward him. His ways of the Force had definitely improved. Not just in power, but in mastery. In control.
Obi-Wan stroked his beard in thought as he surveyed Anakin, who was instructing Ahsoka on the control and focus of the technique needed. She nodded, and the way she looked reminded Obi-Wan of the more early days of when she was his Padawan. Like she was trying to impress him in order to prove herself. But weren't they beyond that point? Obi-Wan didn't think he was misreading the look.
"Sir?" A clone interrupted Obi-Wan's pondering, and his approach caught Rex's attention, who was surveying the training as well.
"Yes trooper?" Obi-Wan asked.
"The scan shows no enemy forces in the area," he said, which caught everyone's attention.
"You're sure?" Obi-Wan questioned with a raised brow.
"Yes sir. Just strange geothermal readings in Sector 8," the trooper said.
"Hmm. We'll investigate it," Obi-Wan said.
"Sir," the clone said before nodding and walking away. Anakin and Ahsoka walked towards Obi-Wan, their curiosities peaked.
"Well?" Anakin asked.
"We can't find any signs of the droid army. But there is an area for us to investigate," Obi-Wan said.
"We'll take one of the LAATs down. I'm not taking any chances with the Eclipse on this planet," Anakin said, his arms crossed.
"Eclipse? Is that your name for the Twilight 2?" Obi-Wan questioned.
"For the love of the Force, do not call it that," Anakin said, holding out a hand and shaking his head.
"Eclipse it is then," Obi-Wan said with his hands raised in surrender. But the small smirk on his face gave his amusement away. "So you had the ship remade?"
"It has sentimental value," Anakin said.
"I'm amazed you weren't tracked that way," Obi-Wan said.
"It sends out a scrambling signal that only extends a meter wide," Anakin said.
"Jams tracking frequencies, but nothing else unless amplified. Smart," Obi-Wan complimented, making Anakin smile.
"Thanks. And that's just one of the many improvements it has. Let's head down to this planet," Anakin said, walking off to the hangar.
Two LAATs were used to to transport them, and Obi-Wan traveled with a number of clones while Anakin, Ahsoka, and Rex traveled with a smaller number of soldiers. Who of which, looked at Rex every once in a while before facing forward again. They were probably wondering what his role was, but weren't going to ask.
Anakin's first step onto the planet ended up sinking his boot a couple of inches in the snow before he took another step. Ahsoka had her robe secured tightly around herself, but even then, she could still feel the cold of the planet. It was nowhere near as bad as Hoth or Ilum, but it was still fairly cold.
"Troopers, we'll take the front. Half of you lead from the back and watch our rears. The other half face forward and keep your eyes open," Obi-Wan commanded.
"Yes sir," the leader of the squad said with a nod as they followed their leader to their destination.
"This is just like old times, isn't?" Ahsoka said with a grin. But it disappeared when he saw Anakin's frown.
"I have a bad feeling, Obi-Wan. I sense... suffering. So much of it," he said, lightly putting a hand on his head.
"It may have something to do with those readings the clones picked up," Obi-Wan said, tilting his head at how attuned Anakin was with this world. "Can you sense anything else?"
"Yes. But a lot of it seems... clouded. No danger. Not yet, at least. But something about this planet feels... troubled," Anakin said, looking around.
"Troubled how?" Ahsoka asked.
"I have no idea," Anakin said as they heard rustling, which caught their attention. The clones immediately aimed their blasters at the spot, but it was just a small creature.
"I sense something else. Can you feel that?" Ahsoka questioned. Anakin closed his eyes and the woodland felt... disturbed. A chirping up high in the trees caught their attention, and it was another creature that darted away quickly when it laid sight on their group.
"Something beside us is disturbing these creatures," Obi-Wan noted. Anakin raised a hand to halt the troopers in their moving, and Anakin stood still for a moment to survey the area around him. There was more rustling in the trees that had them on edge. Rex's hands moved towards the blasters in his holsters as he kept his eyes and ears open. The clones had their blasters at the ready, and the three Force users were ready to draw their sabers at the slightest sign of trouble.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," Obi-Wan said.
"As do I," Anakin said as they waited a while longer. A giant Horax forcing its way through a number of trees and tossing several troopers like paper certainly caught everyone's attention. Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka all drew their sabers while Rex took to the air with his jetpack and the clones opened fire on it.
Rex tossed several grenades at the creature among the blaster fire, which got an audible reaction of pain out of it before it stomped its upper left paw on the ground to flatten several troopers. Anakin growled before lowering his saber to the side.
"Back away Rex," Anakin told him. Rex flew a safe distance away and the Horax's sight went to him next, but the thing to interrupt him was the powerful torrent of lightning that came from Anakin.
Obi-Wan shouldn't have been surprised considering what Dooku told him, but watching it was something else entirely. And white Force Lightning... The Horax screeched in pain; even more so than when Rex's grenades hit the beast. It spasmed in pain, and when Obi-Wan looked at Anakin, he saw his left pupil glowing a distinct yellow. It was the only half of Anakin's face he could see from this angle.
Ahsoka's eyes widened at the power the lightning had on the creature. If she wasn't mistaken, steam was rising from the skin of the beast, and strips of flesh were slowly being torn away from the torrent. Ahsoka was about to tell him to halt the stream when he did without her saying a word. His yellow pupils had gone back to his regular blue, and he raised a hand out to the beast.
"Stay down." His voice commanded power, not unlike that when he spoke to the Son and Daughter, and the Horax listened. The creature kept itself lowed submissively, and Anakin lowered his hand while deactivating his lightsaber. Obi-Wan looked at Anakin, trying to shake off the fact that Anakin had just used Force Lightning. The man he knew was changed in different ways. Including how he used the Force.
"Are you all alright?" Anakin asked.
"Fine. Anakin..."
"It killed all of our troopers. It should be glad I didn't kill it," Anakin said curtly before turning around. "They don't seem to like the idea though."
Ahsoka's attention turned to the figures watching them, and Obi-Wan didn't seem surprised to see them there. Rex landed next to him, holstering his blasters as he looked at the people who looked like natives on this land. Then, a young child came from behind them and started yelling towards Anakin in a language he, Rex, and Ahsoka didn't know of. He only raised an eyebrow in response to the child, and the people pulled back their masks to reveal their faces.
"It looked like they were hunting this thing," Ahsoka commented.
"If that's the case, shouldn't they be happy I brought it down for them?" Anakin quipped.
"Unless this is some sort rite of passage. The boy doesn't look particularly old, and this looks like a colony of warriors," Obi-Wan noted.
"Yes, but normally the men are the ones to lead their children on these hunts while the women stay at the village. But no men. Only women," Anakin reminded him, pointing at them.
"You think they know about the readings we picked up?" Ahsoka asked.
"Doesn't hurt to find out. Do you speak this language?" Anakin asked Obi-Wan.
"Yes. Let me relay our message," he said, walking to the woman who seemed to be leading the group and speaking to her. Rex stood next to Anakin and Ahsoka, who were conversing.
"You know your eyes change color when you use Lightning?" Ahsoka questioned.
"I figured they do. I have to tap into the Dark Side much like Dooku does when he uses it on me. Luckily I've come to terms with all of the things that fuel my powers of the Dark Side, so I can always pull myself back easily enough. Unlike Sith who never come to terms and hang on to what fuels them constantly," Anakin said as Obi-Wan finished talking. He walked back to Anakin and he looked towards the hunters before back to them.
"They'll take us to their village leader. They have a problem that sounds like the readings we picked up," Obi-Wan said.
"Separatists?" Rex asked.
"We'll see," Obi-Wan said before gesturing to a couple of furry beasts that the natives were using to ride on. Guess they were doing the same.
"Anakin, I can feel these peoples' loss. It gnaws at them," Ahsoka said.
"I feel it as well," Obi-Wan said.
"We'll find a way to help them. If it is Grievous, he's going to pay for whatever he's done to these people," Anakin said angrily, tightening his hold on the stick he was using to usher the creature forward. It took a bit of self restraint to not snap the thing.
"There are no men. None at all," Rex brought up.
"They may have been wiped out to get rid of the village's resistance," Ahsoka said.
"Crush their main forces, then oppress the rest of the residents. Sounds like a Separatist style of attack," Anakin said angrily.
"Calm yourself Anakin. We need to figure out the exact problem, and we can only do that by talking to the villagers," Obi-Wan told him. Anakin took a deep breath before his shoulders settled.
"You're right. Let's find out what happened here," he said before facing forward. The woman leading the group of hunters spoke to Obi-Wan before stepping inside of a tent they had stopped in front of.
"Watch our backs Rex. Yell if anything happens," Ahsoka told him.
"You got it," he said as the three of them ducked into the tent.
The first noticeable sight was a wrinkled, aged, and exhausted looking old man sitting in front of a pile of cinders and ash. The woman leading the hunters immediately began talking to the man, sounding angry with every word she said.
"Exactly what is she saying?" Ahsoka asked.
"I was right. You interrupted the boy's rite of passage," Obi-Wan said.
"They expected a kid to kill something that big?" Anakin questioned.
"These are their ways, Anakin. As insurmountable as they may seem," Obi-Wan told him before frowning as he continued to translate. "Something plagues their land. Champion after champion have been sent out. Yet none have returned. They were choosing another when you stepped in."
"You think the Separatists are doing something with those people?" Anakin questioned.
"Possibly," Obi-Wan said as he turned to continue the translating. This time for the old man, and Obi-Wan frowned even deeper.
"What?" Anakin asked.
"I'm not sure if I've heard this right. It seems you have to journey into fire," Obi-Wan said.
"Huh?" he and Ahsoka questioned at the same time.
"It's what they're saying," Obi-Wan said before the old man gestured all of them to rise. Anakin and Ahsoka looked at each other and at Obi-Wan before they rose to their feet. By sound of things, they needed to get to the top of the mountain.
"I want you and Rex to watch over this village while we're gone. No telling what could happen," Anakin told the two of them.
"What's all this business about journeying into fire?" Ahsoka whispered.
"No clue. But we'll get to the bottom of this. I have no intention of being burnt to a crisp at any point in my lifetime," Anakin assured as he followed Obi-Wan and the villagers.
The two of them were lead to a giant fire at a high point on a mountain that overlooked the village. It seemed the old man was a shaman given the way he raised his hands and spoke in some sort of chant. Anakin looked to Obi-Wan for translation, as per usual.
"They're summoning the spirit of fire. 'The Mother weeps... she is sick. Our warriors have failed. Failed to heal the Mother. Into the never ending winter, a stranger comes. Tell us why he has come. What is his purpose?'" Obi-Wan continued to translate until a smokey hand appeared from the fire. "They're saying... Ghost Hand? They think..."
"Oh brother," Anakin said, already getting the gist. He flexed the fingers of his metal hand several times before raising it to the people. The Shaman's eyes seemed to widen at the sight of it, and Anakin looked towards Obi-Wan.
"What did I just do?" he asked"Not do. About to do," Obi-Wan said.
"Are you seriously about to send me through fire?" Anakin questioned.
"I don't think the phrase is literal Anakin. At least, I hope not," Obi-Wan said as the villagers rose.
"That's comforting," Anakin said sarcastically.
"Ugh. What is..."
"It's a tradition, apparently," Anakin said rather plainly. Though Ahsoka could tell he didn't like the idea. Apparently tradition involved putting a bunch of leeches on Anakin's body. Ones with teeth.
"Have fun with that," Rex quipped in the corner.
"Why is it always me?" Anakin questioned as he removed his shirt. The gesture certainly caught Ahsoka's attention as she appreciated how well built her former master was. There wasn't really any shame in the gesture in her mind, but her lekku certainly was like a beacon underneath the hood of her robe.
Obi-Wan noticed her staring, and even underneath the hood's shadow, he could a bit of want in her eyes as he traced her eyes directly to Anakin. The look caught him a bit off guard, but Ahsoka quickly turned away when he caught him looking. Rex was glad he was wearing a helmet. That way he could automatically hide the grin he was sporting. The shaman didn't seem to care at all however as he tossed the leeches onto Anakin, his previous phrase all but unheard. This was uncomfortable, to say the least.
"Is this really necessary?" Anakin questioned, his eyes leaving the leeches for the first time since they were presented.
"It's part of their ritual. You must be respectful," Obi-Wan said, and Anakin could tell he was trying to hide a smirk.
"Easy for you to say. You aren't being drawn on by a bunch of tiny things with teeth," he told him.
"You must follow the wind," Obi-Wan began to translate. "For it is the mother's cry. Travel to her tears. They are frozen with fear. Enter the mother's mouth to awaken her inner flame."
"I see Jedi aren't the only ones who love talking in riddles. But I should figure it out," Anakin said.
"Are you saying he has to go through this alone?" Ahsoka said.
"He has to. It's part of the ritual," Obi-Wan said.
"Screw the ritual. I'm coming with you," Ahsoka said.
"I can handle it Snips," Anakin assured her. "If Grievous really is there, I'll contact you. Stay here and keep an eye on these people. Whatever is kidnapping their men may come back. Defend these people best you can. I promise I'll be back."
"You better," Ahsoka said, staring at him seriously.
"Have faith Snips," Anakin said with a soft smile before standing up straight and starting to head out of the door to get on one of the snow creatures they used to travel here.
"You're really concerned for him, aren't you?" Obi-Wan said, staring at Ahsoka.
"I don't want to us to have gone through all of this just for him to get killed because he's too proud to ask for help," Ahsoka said.
"Anakin is powerful and far more focused than before. It'll be harder for him to lose with this level of discipline," Obi-Wan said.
"But it's not impossible," Ahsoka reminded him.
"He'll be fine," Obi-Wan assured her. The Togruta closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she stepped outside. Obi-Wan looked to Rex, who held out a hand of reassurance before stepping outside along with her.
"Concerned?" Rex asked.
"Just a little," Ahsoka admitted. "I know there's worse he's survived, but... I know I'm being irrational."
"You'll get to tell him. That'll all be up to you," Rex said. Ahsoka looked towards the tent as Obi-Wan exited, and she quieted instantly.
"He'll be fine. Now come on. Let's wait," Obi-Wan said, putting a calming hand on Ahsoka's shoulder. She nodded and seated herself near one of the fires around the village.
"Fine, huh? Fine?" Ahsoka said testily as she stared at Rex and Obi-Wan, the latter of which was scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
"I am fine Snips," Anakin said as R2 helped him get a new cybernetic arm in place.
"You're missing a hand!" Ahsoka exclaimed.
"My metal one. I barely even felt anything. Trust me, I was barely in any danger the entire time. Nothing but a bunch of battle droids and scumbag Separatist Skakoans," Anakin said.
"No Grievous?" Obi-Wan questioned, making Anakin shake his head. "Blast. Of course it wouldn't be that easy. I can assume that..."
"I let the people they wronged decide what to do with them. I assure you I did not execute all of them," Anakin said flatly.
"But you did get angry. We could all feel it," Obi-Wan said.
"From what I'm saw, I can't blame him very much," Ahsoka said, remembering the mutated natives.
"Still, they'll never be able to tell us what was the purpose of changing these people like this," Obi-Wan said.
"By what I was able to pick up, they were trying some mutation on those people. There were machines to try and control their minds. I believe this was a testing ground to create some kind of super mutant soldier. They'd be more effective than droids if trained properly," Anakin surmised. "Grievous' name was mentioned, so I don't think the Chancellor got it wrong about him visiting this place a number of times."
"That sounds about right. They may know we're after Grievous, and the good general wanted something more effective than droids," Obi-Wan said.
"You think those people will ever be able to live with what the the Separatists did with them?" Ahsoka questioned.
"One day they'll come to peace with it. Though... there may be some struggles," Obi-Wan said. Anakin sighed, and rubbed his temples. Obi-Wan saw how exhausted he looked even though his trials didn't seem to push him very much physically.
"When does the suffering end?" he questioned.
"When we deal with the men responsible. Starting with Grievous," Obi-Wan said, making Anakin tighten his fist.
"He will pay for this," he said venomously.
"There is only so long he can hide from us," Obi-Wan assured him.
"But he can run for a very, very long time," Ahsoka reminded him.
"That is also true. Still..." Obi-Wan was interrupted by his holoprojector letting out a loud, rapid beeping noise. It was an urgent message, and Windu appeared on the device. "What is it, Master Windu?"
"Kenobi, Skywalker, Tano. Coruscant is under siege, and General Grievous has abducted the Chancellor. You must return immediately," Windu said.
"A distraction?" Anakin questioned.
"Grievous didn't care about the projects here, but he knew it'd garner our attention long enough to draw us from the temple," Ahsoka said.
"In any case, there isn't much we can spare here on ground level. Our fleet is holding the invasion force as long as they can, but your time is not unlimited. Get here as quickly as you can," Windu said before cutting off communication.
"What do you think?" Anakin asked.
"I think we've got a kidnapping to stop and a General to take down," Obi-Wan said, making Anakin and Ahsoka both nod.
"How do you want to do this?" Rex asked.
"Same way we always do," Anakin said.
"Without a plan?" Obi-Wan quipped.
"I was going to say 'together,' but that also works," Anakin said before turning to one of the soldiers. "Trooper! Tell the admiral to get this starship moving to Coruscant, ASAP!"
"Yes sir!" he exclaimed. Looks like any idea of relaxing was going to have to wait. Strangely enough, he was still used to the feeling regardless of being away from the Jedi for all this time.
A/N: I know I said I was going to have Anakin talk to Palpatine soon, but I had a change of plans. If you're wondering, this is not a story line I made up on my own. This and the final portion of the last chapter were taken out of the 2003 Animated Clone Wars series, which is no longer counted as canon by Disney, but it's the best explanation as to how the Separatists got their hands on Palpatine starting ROTS. Plus I like it. Each of the episodes are available to watch on YouTube, so you can view them at any time if you need clarification.
Next chapter begins the events of Revenge of the Sith, and there will be a fair amount of deviation from the original story. Like the most obvious one: Ahsoka's in it. It's going to be fun.