Chapter 18 - Friends and Friends (Ariana)
DISCLAIMER: We do not own Star Wars or any of the characters in it, though we wish we did. We only own the characters we have invented from Earth. =)
Author's Note: This is the last chapter of mostly humor. Two more chapters to go! :D
~ Amina Gila.
I sense when Anakin arrive outside the house, but I don't want to get up to greet him. Our grandmother is downstairs in the kitchen - I can hear her moving around - so she'll let him in. In the back of my mind, I hear the telltale opening of the door, their voices drifting upstairs, but I'm too focused on chatting to Evelyn, Asiya, and Mark to pay attention to what they're saying. It's the first time in a while they've been on at the same time as us.
Within minutes, Anakin comes upstairs. "Hey, Anakin!" we all chorus cheerfully. I glance at him with a smile before turning my attention back to the computer.
"Who are you talking to now?" he asks curiously. He's watched some of our chats, but never actually joined them. We asked him once if he wanted to, but he said that he's not really comfortable talking to the others, since only Evelyn believes he's real. He's never talked to anyone other than her.
"Evelyn, Asiya, and Mark," replies Ramona.
"You wanna join?" questions Teagan, hopefully. Although we finally told everyone about our interdimensional travel, everyone still refuses to believe us. It's not surprising, but it sometimes makes me wish I had more open-minded friends.
Anakin hesitates for a moment. "Sure," he answers slowly, uncertainty evident in his tone. He sits down in his usual chair, and I spin to face him.
Suppressing a squeal at his agreement, I use the Force to bring me the tablet from Teagan's desk and quickly open up the document before pushing the device towards Anakin. "I'll introduce you," I inform him, grinning, "They'll like you once they accept that you're real." I turn back to my computer.
Me: Guess what?! :D Anakin is coming on now!
Evelyn: YAY! =D
Mark: You all are too obsessed. -_-
Ramona: Are not! .
Anakin: Uh... hello.
I'm not at all surprised that he's using black. It's the color he usually uses. I use red, while Teagan prefers purple and Ramona brown. Evelyn's color of choice is light blue, while Asiya uses a dark blue. Mark is using teal.
Evelyn: HI ANAKIN! :D
Asiya: This is a prank. -_-
Teagan: Is not! ;-;
Anakin: I'm real.
Me: I know you are! :P
Mark: This is ridiculous! -_-
Ramona: Anything is possible with the Force.
Mark: The Force isn't real!
Asiya: Agreed!
Teagan: Yes, it is, or telepathy wouldn't be possible!
Asiya: ... Okay. Fine. -_-
Anakin: Do you mind me being here?
Evelyn: Never! O_O
Me: Of course not! ;-;
Teagan: I think you hurt his feelings. T_T
Anakin: T_T
I snort when he uses the face. He rarely ever does, but Evelyn has all but force him to do so.
Asiya: Don't cry. ;-; pats Anakin on head
"Force, is she like that a lot?" demands Anakin, laughing.
"I'm afraid so," I smirk, "But I don't think she'd be acting like that if she knew you were real."
"This is hilarious," giggles Teagan, on the verge of crying from laughter.
"I know, right?" agrees Ramona, shaking her head and turning back to the computer.
Me: Uh... o.o
Ramona: You know how weird that is right? ;-;
Mark: ... I should go... -_-
Me: Maaaaaark! T_T
Mark: Fine. -_- I'll stay for now.
Asiya: It's not weird. :)
Anakin: I beg to differ.
Teagan: I don't think she cares.
Asiya: I really don't. :P Anakin, what's it like to live in the Star Wars Universe?
Anakin: Well, granted I don't know that much about Earth relatively speaking, but it's a far better place. I'm definitely glad I was born there.
It takes him longer than everyone else to type, but he's doing much better than he was initially. Besides, he's using a tablet, and those can be harder to use, in general.
Ramona: I wish I could have been born there.
Evelyn: Me too!
Me: Me three! O_O
Teagan: Me four! U_U
Mark: I'm glad to be on Earth.
Me: But it's such a messed-up place! ;-;
Mark: Better than living in an enormous galaxy. That would be too confusing.
Ramona: Not really... -~-
Anakin: It's actually not confusing. It's enlightening to see so many different species.
Asiya: If you say so!
Mark: The next time you decide to bring someone on this doc, invite Vader. :P
Ramona: Lucky for us, he doesn't exist. :)
Evelyn: Exactly! U_U
Teagan: You don't want that. He would – the consequences would not be pleasant. -.-
Asiya: I'll take the chance! ^-^
Anakin: Ariana, your friends don't like me. You said they would.
Me: No, I said they would like you if they accept that you're real. You took what I said out of context. I hate it when you/people do that. -_-
Anakin: Now you sound like Obi-Wan.
Me: I'll be sure to tell him! ^-^ He'd love to have someone else around to lecture you... :)
Anakin: ... You're not my master.
Me: Oh, but I can still lecture you. Hee hee.
Evelyn: xDXD
Asiya: sighs Okay really. Who are you for real?
Anakin: Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker
Mark: You're not a Jedi Master!
Anakin: Am too!
Teagan: If you ever bothered asking us for what happened, you would know that he became a Jedi Master after we defeated Sidious! .
Ramona: Exactly! That's why Anakin never came on here before. Because we knew you'd act like this. ;-; Just accept that he's really here!
Mark: -_- I'm leaving. I need to go. Bye!
"I think we chased him away," mumbles Ramona, as everyone says goodbye to Mark before he closes off.
"I didn't realize they would bring up Vader," adds Anakin, frowning.
"Nor did I," I agree, shooting a discrete look at Anakin, "Don't let it bother you, Anakin."
"I'm not," he replies flatly.
"Right," mutters Teagan. I can see through Anakin's act. His only reaction is a slight twitch, but I can see a tenseness that wasn't present earlier. Introducing Anakin to our friends happened too soon. He just wasn't ready to deal with everything that could possibly come up. I wish there was an easier way, but the results probably would have been the same regardless of the time. I'll just have to be careful and demand he leave if the conversation becomes too difficult for him.
Asiya: Uh... I'm acting like I always do?
Evelyn: That's not what we meeeeaaaannn! T_T xD
Ramona: Anakin is real, kay? Please don't treat him like he's fake. -.-
Asiya: Okayyyy... I won't. :)
Anakin: That would be appreciated.
Me: :D
Asiya: What's happening there?
She doesn't believe it, but she's planning to go along with it. I suppose I can't ask much more from here right now. I can only hope that she gets used to the idea of Anakin being real.
Teagan: We're talking to you!
Asiya: I was talking to Anakin, thanks. :)
Anakin: With?
Asiya: You? Padme? Da twins?
Anakin: The twins are fine. So is Padme.
I don't need to ask to know that he's feeling rather awkward. It'll take time for him to become accustomed to talking to anyone other than Evelyn.
Ramona: We were Knighted! =D Don't question my random brain. :)
Asiya: O_O THAT IS SO EXCITING! =D Did you get a sword? =D And a piece of land all of your own? =D Do you have serfs now? O.O
Evelyn: O...O
Teagan: facepalms
Ramona bursts out laughing, as do Teagan and I. Anakin throws us a confused look. He's probably never heard of that kind of knight before. That's not surprising, I suppose. It's an Earth thing anyways.
Me: Knighted to become a Jedi -_-
Asiya: Anakin! Did you cut off my sisters' hair? T_T
Anakin: Excuse me?
Asiya: Did you braid their hair then? :D
Evelyn: xDXD
Teagan: We didn't get braids :)
Anakin: No. I definitely did not braid their hair.
Asiya: Did Obi-Wan braid your Padawan braid? +D
Me: facepalms
Ramona: I don't want to think about it. ;~~; xD
Evelyn: That is - whispers Actually, the thought of Obi-Wan braiding nine-year-old Ani's hair is cute. ;-; xD
Me: gasps Dun talk about it!
Anakin: Excuse me. Why are you talking about my hair?
Ramona: I'm not! T_T
Teagan: Idk. -_-
Asiya: Because you didn't shave it off. :)
Me: O.O
Evelyn: Yuck! T_T
Ramona: O_O
Asiya: Yuck that he didn't? ;-;
Anakin: What is wrong with you people? Seriously. -_-
Teagan: Can we like talk about something else? O_O
Me: I have never heard of a better idea in my life!
Ramona: We have our lightsabers with us! We built them ourselves actually.
Asiya: Let me guess... Ariana has red cuz she loves the color. :D
Me: gapes I AM NOT A SITH! I RESENT THAT! T_T
Anakin chokes behind me, and I know he's trying not to laugh out loud, but fails when my sisters erupt into giggles. "And here I thought you were goofballs," Anakin chuckles quietly.
"We are," Teagan and I chorus.
"Not as much as her," he objects.
"No one is," Ramona assures him.
Ramona: We all have blue. ;~;
Asiya: Really...
Evelyn: Don't sound so skeptical! They showed me in one of our last video calls.
Me: We can actually do one right now if you want. You can see Anakin too! ^-^
Anakin: I never agreed to that!
Ramona: No, but you would have anyways, right? :)
Anakin: ...
Asiya: I can probably do one quickly. I might have to go soon. :)
Me: Okay!
I quickly flip tabs, logging onto Google Hangouts so we can do a video call. My sisters do likewise. I take the tablet from Anakin, logging onto the Google account I set up just for him. It was funnier than it should have been, probably because he is the only real "Anakin Skywalker."
Asiya calls me first, and I invite my sisters, Evelyn, and Anakin to the call as well. One by one, the videos start appearing.
"Hey, Anakin!" Evelyn calls immediately, looking altogether too gleeful for the conversation we're about to have. She seems to be practically vibrating with excitement.
"Hi," says Ramona cheerfully, "And I know we were just talking to each other, but I don't care."
"We need a more creative greeting other than 'hi,'" I complain, grinning when I see Asiya's expression.
"Try 'greetings,'" Anakin offers dryly.
"Like 'hello fellow mortals'?" Teagan proposes with a smirk.
"Of course!" Asiya chimes in, nodding. She pauses for a moment, and I can only guess who she's looking at. "Did you, by any chance, invite - what's that guy's name anyways? Hayden Christensen? - to your house and not tell me?"
"Who?" Anakin questions, expression a comical picture of confusion.
"The actor who is you in the movies," Teagan explains helpfully.
"I'm insulted you'd think we have time for that," Ramona pouts.
"Only I would do that," agrees Evelyn with a grin.
"So, I have a doppelganger walking around on Earth," Anakin muses.
"It appears so," I concur, shrugging. "Though, since you're you and he's - you know what? I'm not even going to finish that thought."
"Hayden is Anakin's counterpart in this dimension!" squeals Evelyn.
"Really?" Ramona asks, sounding completely unimpressed.
"Don't make me wonder who mine in the Star Wars universe is now," warns Teagan.
"This conversation is becoming the literal definition of bizarre," Asiya states flatly.
"I honestly wonder already," Ramona replies, ignoring Asiya's complaint, then suddenly smirks. "I wonder if Asiya's is Ahsoka."
"Uh, no. Just no. I'm not even going to consider that," Anakin states firmly, throwing Ramona a glare. "They are nothing alike." Ramona chuckles in response.
"I believe that they are far more alike that you want to admit," I remind him, raising an eyebrow challengingly.
"Aren't they?" challenges Evelyn. "They're both Force-sensitive - at least I'm hoping that Asiya is - and they're both goofballs and -"
"Excuse me! I'm right here!" Asiya protests, "And I'm quite certain I'm not a Togruta in another dimension, or whatever it is you're thinking."
"Who said you'd have to be the same species?" offers Ramona. "... Okay, this is getting strange. Like, very strange."
"Nice of you to notice," she retorts.
"Yeah," I agree, nodding. "Hopefully, Asiya, you can at least admit that Anakin is real."
"How can I be sure you're not mind-tricking me?" she demands in response.
"Because mind tricks only work on the weak-minded," Anakin reminds her.
"You're not weak-minded, are you?" Teagan adds, eliciting laughter from everyone else.
Asiya huffs in response, but doesn't refute the point. "So," she begins cheerfully, "My mother suggested that I arrange a meeting with you. We've been constrained to chatting online, and there's hardly a reason for that when we live only thirty minutes apart."
"That'll be awesome!" Ramona squeals.
"I'll be sure to be here," Anakin agrees, smirking. "Obi-Wan too."
"Maybe during the winter break," I suggest hopefully. "Mark was talking about driving down to see us, and I think Lance might be planning to meet around then as well."
"Don't forget about me!" Evelyn yells unnecessarily loud.
"I have no idea who you are," I deadpan.
"Me either," Anakin quips. Evelyn glares at both of us until we all crack up.
"We should try to arrange a time for everyone to meet at once," Teagan advises. "That would make the event extra special and save us the trouble of planning multiple meetings."
"The winter break will be best," Ramona concurs. "Can you both make it?"
"I hope so," Evelyn replies slowly. "Jake and I have to discuss the details with our parents."
"Yes, I'm sure I can come anytime," Asiya answers.
"Me too!" Anakin promptly interjects.
"As long as you're not on a mission or have Council meeting to attend," points out Ramona.
"Or if you're too busy filming more movies," Asiya cheerfully calls.
"That's not funny," I grumble, trying to frown at her, though I end up smiling instead.
"Because I'm sure the sisters would love more Star Wars ones," she continues, ignoring my interruption.
"No thanks. Being in Star Wars is good enough for me," says Ramona.
Evelyn suddenly turns her head and motions to someone off the camera. "I need to go," she tells us, sounding aggravated. "I'll be sure to call again later when Anakin's around."
"Bye!" my sisters and I chorus.
"Talk to you later!" chimes in Asiya.
"Farewell," adds Anakin as Evelyn disappears.
"I know you're busy..." A familiar voice suddenly declares right behind me. I let out a startled yelp, jerking to glare at the doorway where Qui-Gon's Force ghost is shimmering an ethereal blue. As soon as I recover from my near heart attack - how did he appear without anyone noticing? - I glower at him.
"What did I miss?" asks Asiya, looking completely confused as our startlement.
"Qui-Gon just scared the life out of us. Don't worry," Teagan replies cheerfully.
"I would rather not die just yet," I state firmly.
Qui-Gon only laughs in response, a hint of mischief in his eyes as he refocuses his gaze on Anakin. "Obi-Wan is on the verge of coming here to drag you back to the Temple," the Force ghost informs him. "I offered to be the messenger."
"I can't see him!" Asiya objects.
"He's a ghost," Ramona reminds her. "Of course, you can't."
Anakin lets out an exaggerated groan. "Fine. I'll be right there." He pauses, smirking. "Wouldn't want him to go completely gray so quickly."
I snort quietly. "Shoo along Master Jedi," I tease.
"Bye Anakin!" Asiya calls when she manages to figure out what's happening.
"I'll be back," Anakin assures us, "But I don't think it'll be this week. There's some matters requiring more immediate concentration. I suppose you can drop by to visit Padme though. I'm sure the twins will love to see you."
"We'll come," Ramona promises, and Anakin disappears in a familiar flash of rainbow light. Qui-Gon's Force ghost vanishes as well, though I suspect he's still hanging around and spying on us. That's not creepy or anything.
"That. Was. So. Cool!" Asiya declares, wide-eyed. "I want to see that for real."
"You probably can when we meet," Teagan replies.
"Awesome," Asiya practically squeals, as we move back to discussing the logistics of meeting and what we'll do when we finally see one another face to face once more.