CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

KIDS CAN HURT YOU

Nine years later. . .

There's a new Skywalker! His name is Kobby and he's 6. He is very close to his parents, but he is a real galactic rollercoaster. He doesn't like the Jedi or politics either, he likes art. This didn't make Anakin crazy, because Kobby was following 'dear old Palo's' path. Padmé laughed every time he heard Anakin complaining.

Luke is already a Jedi knight, maybe one of the youngest ever, at the age of 15. He's on a vacation now at his parents house, where he hangs out with Leia. He is a very skilled and talented Jedi, with his father's powers plus the ones he was originally born with, he made quite a remarkable knight. He was Yoda's favorite, though Yoda affirmed "Favorites, I do not have. Closer friends, maybe". What a lame answer, Yoda! You'll have to do better than that if you want to make us believe that Luke's your favorite!! And you, who are the most powerful Jedi, can't even lie well...

Leia wanted to be queen of Naboo, but her mover disliked the idea. She wanted her daughter to live her life and be happy. But Leia, as a good Skywalker, always argued back, saying that she was in age of deciding what to do with her life. This was always an issue at the dinner table, but besides the discussions between mother and daughter, they got along pretty well. In fact, they were like best friends.

Padmé's power in the galactic senate grew bigger every day. In one of their meetings they even proposed her to be the new supreme chancellor, but she refused. She already worked a lot, and she really wanted to see her children grow up and help them whenever they needed her. she almost rejected Anakin once for her job, and she wasn't going to let that happen again to her, nor her children. Besides, Kobby Skywalker demanded a lot of time. . .

Anakin was focused in Shmi's training. He really loved her and thanked the Force every day to have his daughter as his Padawan learner. He treated her very kindly and softly, because he didn't want to be mad at her, ever! They did most part of the training in Naboo, and only traveled to Courasant when they needed special Jedi equipment. Anakin was very proud of Shmi.

Shmi was very skilled and talented. But she was also very hard to put up with. She had a bad attitude and was very arrogant. Only with Padmé she would be sweet and honest, showing her mother her soft side. But the fact that she was six years younger than Luke and that she was in a level very close to his, made her proud. Luke had twice as much powers than any other Jedi, and yet his little sister was close to him. she always brought up the subject when they were together, hoping that Luke would become jealous, but he didn't. He was really happy for his little sister. This made her very frustrated. She had this strange need to hurt her brother and her sister, from time to time, saying that she couldn't be a queen because 'mommy' didn't give her permission. Leia reacted in a different way than Luke, and at the end of every discussion she bursted into tears after yelling at her little sister. Making her sister cry made Shmi satisfied, in a strange way. Little Kobby wasn't a big deal for her, she would just use her Jedi powers to make things levitate and he would ran away. After realizing her brother didn't mind about her comments, that she could make Leia cry and make Kobby as scared as he could possibly be, her next target was Anakin. She knew she was concieved by medichlorians, that Anakin wasn't her biological father and that she was the Chosen One. For some reason, he disliked Anakin, she felt as if she didn't need his help to become the most powerful Jedi ever.

One day, Anakin and Shmi were doing some lightsaber practice in the gardens. Anakin was watching Shmi doing some swings and blocking the shots a robot shot at her. She had great reflexes, and she would block each and everyone of the shots. They bounced on her lightsaber and flew through the air. Anakin was very proud.

"Good, that's it! But keep your head a little higher", he warned.

"I know, I was going to do that!", Shmi said annoyed. Anakin waved his hands in the air excusing himself.

"Very good! Keep it up, you're doing great!", he pointed, encouraging his daughter to continue. That was when Shmi snapped and completely lost it. She blocked another shot that returned to the droid and destroyed it fully. Anakin's concern grew.

"Shmi, are you alright, are you hurt?"

"Oh, Force... would you please STOP IT!", she yelled.

"But honey..." he was interrupted by Shmi.

"DON'T CALL ME 'HONEY'!!", she screamed. This time, Anakin's look torn serious.

"Fine, fine. Tell me, what's bothering you?", he asked in a sweet tone.

"You never correct me, and if you do, you do it in a sweet comforting tone. I've notice my own mistakes, and they are big ones! But you don't seem to care, you just keep quiet and continue with the training. You should yell at me and make me see my mistakes! I'd like to improve myself, but you keep protecting me and keeping me safe. I've never known danger in my whole life, and I'm the daughter of the most powerful senator in the galaxy, and I'm the Chosen One. You keep holding me back!", she complained. Anakin was shocked.

"Why would I do that?", he asked confused.

"Because you are jealous! You are jealous that I'M the most powerful and skilled Jedi in the galaxy. You are jealous because I'm the Chosen One and NOT YOU!", she yelled, anger in her eyes. Anakin was loosing his temper.

"Shmi...", he started.

"NO!", she screamed throwing her lightsaber to the ground.

"Alright, that's enough Shmi Skywalker!", Anakin said in a hard tone. Shmi gave him an icy look. They didn't notice Padmé's presence behind a tree. She came as soon as she heard her daughter's screaming.

"NABERRIE!", she yelled. Anakin was confused. He rolled his eyes.

"Ok, Shmi Skywalker Naberr...", he was interrupted again.

"NO! No Skywalker, just Naberrie. My name is Shmi Naberrie. You ARE NOT my father, you seem to forget that, Anakin...", she said before she left the gardens and walked inside the house, leaving a very hurt Anakin alone.

Anakin brought his hands to his face and cried. He sat down in the grass and let his tears come down. His own daughter had denied him. he was sobbing when he felt someone holding him.

"Padmé...", he said holding her arms around him. Now she was crying.

"Ani, I'm so sorry, I don't know what got into her", she said trying to comfort him.

"No, I'm sorry, this is all my fault. I've been a terrible father...". Padmé quickly cupped his face in her hands and forced Anakin to look at her.

"Don't say that, Anakin. You've been a wonderful father, I can't think of you being bad to her. You've always loved her, and took care of her, you are not the problem!". Anakin lost in his wife's tight embrace.

"Yes I am"