-
Mia - Thank you for the kind words! I was doing my best to keep them in character, lol. A lot of what they said were things I'd been thinking. Star Wars totally didn't have to go the way it did, but oh well, gotta have a big conflict. I just didn't think it made complete sense. -shrug-
Opal - I'm not sure about Bail. I imagine he would be angry about giving up Leia, but hey, she is Anakin's kid. I'm still not sure what is going to happen though. My imagination takes me to pretty crazy places.
Christine - Thank you! Enjoy this chapter!
crystalcave - :D Thanks for reviewing, I reallllyyy appreciate it!
Freedom160 - Thank you!
MidnightDaydream - Thank you muchly, here's another chapter for ya. :D
Darkness - Lol, well, the ending will come with time. So just be patient till then.
orANGE - Lol, errrr, hope you made it to the toilet. Thanks for reviewing!
Nautica7mk - Thank you for reading!
StarWars-krazed - Thank you, here is more for you. :D
Karakin - There's a battle scene in this chapter now, so enjoy. :D
anakinluver92 - Yeah, well, I wanted it to be a slash...-shrug- I'm sure other padawans and masters have had relationships in the past, hehehe. Thanks for reading, though, much appreciation.
Chelsea - Awww, thank you. It had me a little teary. I just love those two, they're so wonderful.
padmeskywalkergurl - Awwwww, thank you so much! That was really sweet of you to say.
Docta Luv - Thank you!
Little Elflet - Awww, I so know how you feel! I made this story to soothe my own pain with what happened in the movie, and I'm working toward getting myself the books of Star Wars. I read some of Ep.III in a book store and I want it so bad, lol. I'm glad you enjoyed it, here's another chapter for you.
SuperiorityComplex88 - Thank you for reviewing. Love to you.
froggifrog - Lol. Well, we should all be able to love who we want, even if they're the same sex. This chapter isn't really slashy though, so feel free to read it. :D Sorry if you don't like slash, we all have our own opinions. I like slash but only to a certain point, when it gets hot and heavy, I get urked. But I love fluff!
blue-buggy - Thank you!
Alex Lyons3 - Thank you, and yes, here is another chapter, yay!
White Destiny - Thank you very much. :D
SculderXPhile - Lol, sorry to tell you, but Padmé is not amongst the living in this story. I love her though, she's the greatest. I really wish she was alive...maybe I should've had her live...oh well! Maybe I'll write a different story some time with her and Anakin reuniting. Really though, Padmé, I think, had died from a broken heart. Anakin had left her for the Dark Side and she just lost the will to live. Very sad.
legolaslover1427 - Thank you vair vair much!
Deadly Little Miho - Thank you for your kind words! And well, I'll try and help you out of that pit, lol, guess we'll just have to see how it goes.
Kira - Thank you. :D
Ellie - Eeee, okay, I continued, lol.
Cara - Thank you very much!
Rayven - Awww, thank you so much! What you said really got me right in the heart, lol. You're so right.
-
A/N: Wowerz! I was so siked when I saw all the reviews in my mail box! I didn't think my story would be that good. And I didn't get any flames, either! Yayyy! -Dances.- Thank you all so much, it warms my heart to get such outstanding reviews.
For the beginning and such of the story, it follows the script for Episode III. The script has a lot that the movie left out, so it'll be different in some ways. The words stay about the same during the beginning, I threw in a few changes of course. So well, just bare with me, it really isn't too bad. It starts changing up in the middle or so.
-
-
-
"Beautiful"
-
Chapter 2
-
What have I done?
Where have I come from?
When I burnt the backs with the sun through a glass did I seal
the loss that's become me?
-
The world around him was nothing but shades of red and black...this was what he saw. The only sound that of the churning surface of the land around him, the bubbling wounds upon it gushing forth lakes of searing, hot liquid. And this...this was all he wanted at that moment. To be completely alone, contemplating what he had done for the last time before he would throw it all behind him...
Anakin would let out a breath he'd been holding in as the last of his tears fell. Leaving the balcony he stood upon, he would reenter the station, pulling up an image of his new master on the viewing screen in the middle of the room. "The Separatists are taken care of, my Master."
The hologram of Darth Sidious nodded slowly. "It is finished, then. You have restored peace and justice to the galaxy. You have done well, Lord Vader."
"Thank you, my Master." Anakin replied, kneeling before the image.
"Send a message to the ships of the Trade Federation. Tell them the Separatist leaders have been wiped out. Grievous and Dooku have been destroyed. All droid units must shut down immediately." Darth Sidious commanded.
"Very good, my Master." Anakin said, voice lacking any emotion at all as he reached over and cut their communication.
It was then that the console before him alerted him of a space craft coming in. He looked out of the window to the landing platform where his starfighter was parked. His eyes narrowed. / Who could possibly be here?. / He asked himself in irritation as he looked over the ship. It was a Naboo Skiff. His eyes widened as he felt a very familiar presence inside. Quickly, he left the room and made his way to the entrance.
Padmé hurried to him as he exited. "Padmé, I saw your ship." He told her, puzzled.
"Oh Anakin!" She cried as she hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest.
He embraced her just as tightly. / She seems flustered... / "It's all right, you're safe now." He told her softly before pulling her back. "What are you doing out here?" He questioned in confusion.
"I was so worried about you!" She breathed out, her hands holding onto the cloth of his arms, brows creased with worry. "Obi-Wan told me terrible things!"
Anakin's eyes flickered with anger. "What things?" He asked cautiously.
Padmé looked down, shaking her head. "He said you have turned to the Dark Side, that you killed younglings!"
Anakin was quick to respond. "Obi-Wan is trying to turn you against me.."
Padmé looked back up to him, her eyes looking into his with deep concern. She could see something was wrong...his eyes...those eyes weren't his. "He cares about us."
"Us?" Anakin sneered, his expression in much disbelief. / Like he would try to help us, he cares about nothing but the Jedi!. /
Padmé made sure his eyes stayed looking into hers. "He knows..." She said quietly, shaking him gently. "He wants to help you."
Anakin scowled. "Is Obi-Wan going to protect you?" He snapped. "He can't, he can't help you. He's not strong enough."
Padmé felt as if she would cry. Was he forgetting everything? "Anakin, all I want is your love."
"Love won't save you, Padmé." Anakin told her darkly. "Only my new powers can do that."
"At what cost! You're a good person, don't do this!" She pleaded.
-
Feeling undone
What have I become?
When I turned my back on you I turned my back on myself and
became this machine
-
"I won't lose you the way I lost my mother!" Anakin said through a raised voice. "I've become more powerful than any Jedi has ever dreamed of and I've done it for you. To protect you."
Padmé shook her head once more as if trying to shake out his words, his words that she just couldn't believe she was hearing. "Come away with me." She told him earnestly. "Help me raise our child. Leave everything else behind while we still can."
"Don't you see?" He spoke to her softly. "We don't have to run away anymore. I have brought peace to the Republic. I am more powerful than the Chancellor. I can overthrow him, and together you and I can rule the galaxy!" He said with an almost excited smile as the images of their future together filled his head.
Padmé flinched, her expression filled with hurt and confusion. "I don't believe what I'm hearing...Obi-Wan was right. You've changed."
Anakin's eyes narrowed with displeasure at that name. Obi-Wan always seemed to be in the way. He was always there even when he wasn't. / It's like I can't be free of him...he follows me everywhere... / He thought angrily, doubt gnawing at him once again as Obi-Wan's voice infiltrated his dark thoughts. He was quick to toss it away. "I don't want to hear any more about Obi-Wan! The Jedi turned against me. Don't you turn against me." He implored.
-
Thoughtlessness
Selfishness
Hopelessness
Arrogant
-
Padmé's face was twisted in pain...rejection. "I don't know you anymore." She near sobbed. "Anakin, you're breaking my heart...I'll never stop loving you, but you are going down a path that I can't follow."
Anakin scowled, rage in his eyes. "Because of Obi-Wan?" He spat out heatedly.
Padmé gripped his arms more tightly. "Because of what you've done...what you plan to do! Stop, stop now. Come back! I love you." She pleaded, voice thick with emotion.
Anakin was about to speak before he saw something that made his eyes widened before he yelled in anger. "Liar!"
Alarmed, Padmé spun around. Her hand came up to her mouth as she gasped, looking upon Obi-Wan who stood in the doorway of the Naboo Cruiser. "No!" She cried out, turning back to Anakin.
"You're with him, you've betrayed me!" Anakin shouted. "You brought him here to kill me!"
"NO! Anakin, I swear...I...-" She trailed off, her fingers scrabbling at her neck as she found she could not breath.
Anakin stood before her, his right hand raised, fingers gripping air, but through the Force, he was gripping his wife's throat. Hate, hurt, distrust, and betrayal filled him like a vicious fire. / How could she do this to me?. / He hissed inside of his mind. / Obi-Wan!. / He growled, head lashing in his direction.
Obi-Wan now stood twenty feet away, expression set in firm resolve. "Let her go, Anakin." He said, raising his voice so he could be heard over the torrent of the moving land.
"What have you and she been up to?" He demanded ferociously.
"Let her go!" Obi-Wan said more firmly this time as he saw her movements grow weak.
Anakin released her, letting her crumple to the ground where she stayed, unmoving. "You turned her against me." He spoke, voice filled with fury.
Obi-Wan regarded him calmly. "You have done that yourself."
"You will not take her from me!" Anakin roared, glaring at his master.
"Your anger and your lust for power have already done that." Obi-Wan told him his hands removing his cloak in one fluid motion before letting it fall behind him. "You have allowed this Dark Lord to twist your mind until now...until now you have become the very thing you swore to destroy." Obi-Wan said, circling with his padawan until he reached where Padmé lay unconscious. Kneeling down, his hand would rest on her temple. Some relief came to his face as he realized that she was alive.
"Don't lecture me, Obi-Wan. I see through the lies of the Jedi. I do not fear the Dark Side as you do. I have brought peace, justice, freedom, and security to my new Empire."
Obi-Wan looked at him incrediously. "The lies of the Jedi? The Jedi tell no lies, it is you who should see through the lies of the Sith!" He yelled. "And your new Empire? Peace, justice? I see none of this! Just chaos, pain, and death!"
"Don't make me kill you." Anakin muttered darkly, his eyes showing his reluctance as he slowly moved toward Obi-Wan.
-
I feel it on the inside
Twisting and contorting
Memory has shaped me once again
-
"Anakin, my allegiance is to the Republic..." Obi-Wan told him, a certain strain in his voice. He almost found himself wishing it not so. "...to democracy!"
"If you're not with me, you're my enemy." Anakin stated matter-of-factly.
Obi-Wan sighed. "Only a Sith Lord deals in absolutes. I will do what I must." He spoke firmly, pulling his light saber out and igniting it, the blue all alone in the angry red of Mustafar.
"You will try." Anakin said threateningly, igniting his own saber. / Don't make me... /
-
Still feel you on the inside
Biting through and stinging
Will I ever forget to remember?
-
Obi-Wan blinked quizzically as that soft voice filled his head. He would focus on Anakin, frowning slightly, but his padawan's back was to him. If the situation had been different, he might've asked what that was, but in this moment, he was unsure of everything. His words, though filled with intention lacked motivation inside of him. And he was feeling the pressure of it all.
He readied himself as Anakin back flipped across the distance between them, landing with his light saber raised. Taking a deep breath, Obi-Wan moved in as Anakin swung, but he was quick to counter the attack with his own blade. And then they were at it, blade to blade, over and over.
Obi-Wan dropped back as Anakin used the Force to lift containers up off of the platform, chunking them at him. He cut through them easily before clashing blades with his apprentice again.
Dodging, countering, and attacking, they were constantly on the move, leaving the platform and heading into the main entry hallway.
"Anakin!" Obi-Wan cried, trying to talk to him, but his padawan only rose his foot and kicked him off and onto a lower level of the complex.
He rolled onto the floor as he landed, hurrying to pick himself back up as Anakin lept down.
"Anakin, please, stop this foolishness." Obi-Wan pleaded while they circled each other.
His padawan only bristled. "Die!" He cried, charging at his master.
Obi-Wan rose his light saber, blocking Anakin's attack. He could feel the anger resonating from his padawan, how it was centered in his blade which hacked at him constantly, never allowing a moment's break. They fought their way into the main control room where Obi-Wan was forced to duck as he was herded into a console. Anakin's blade shot clean through it, sparks showering over them.
Rolling away, Obi-Wan was finally able to collect himself. Quickly, he lept onto the table view screen in the center of the room, saber ready to take any attack Anakin would throw at it.
"Don't make me destroy you, Master. You're no match for the Dark Side." Anakin said lethally, deep yellow eyes glaring up at him.
"I've heard that before, Anakin...but I never thought I'd hear it from you." Obi-Wan grumbled, his eyes focused on his padawan. He had no room to make mistakes. / I must do this...for the peace of the galaxy...for... / He shook his head irritably as he lost train of his thought.
"Are you chickening out, Master?" Anakin asked with dark amusement as he looked upon Obi-Wan in his inner turmoil.
Obi-Wan breathed out heavily, letting his grip on his saber become relaxed. Tenseness was likely to get him killed, he had to have faith in himself and the Force. But that was the problem... / I don't want to kill, Anakin...I don't.. / He closed his eyes for only a moment, but it nearly got him killed as Anakin lunged at him.
Recovering, he back flipped from the table and to the floor, Anakin following closely. He was forced to use his saber as soon as he had landed. Anakin rapidly gained the upper hand, forcing him back into the conference room where the dead separatists scattered the floor.
Obi-Wan back-stepped swiftly creating distance between himself and his padawan. "Anakin, please, you think the Jedi are liars, but have you even thought about before? I have given you nothing but care and counsel! I would never mislead you, Anakin! The Jedi only look out for the well-being of the people, and to do that we must have the Code! Without it, problems occur and they get in the way! One mistake could lead to the death of thousands!"
"And loving is a mistake!" Anakin shouted.
"Yes, Anakin! To love is to be attached! If we had a valuable dictator in our hands, yet they had Padmé and they were going to kill her unless we handed him over, what would you do?" Obi-Wan questioned, careful not to use the Sith Lord for it would surely do him no good.
"I would save her!"
"How! As soon as he is free, he will go back to his planet and thousands will return to suffering under his rule!" Obi-Wan snapped.
"I-.." Anakin faltered.
Obi-Wan felt hope spark within him. Anakin was still there, the Dark Side had not consumed him yet. "Exactly! In that situation you must learn when to let go, Anakin! For the sake of all those people! Would you trade them for one person?"
Anakin scowled as he looked down at the ground with confusion before he shook his head rapidly the next second, charging at his master. "Enough of this ridiculous quizzing! Shut up and fight me!" He shouted, bringing his red blade down upon Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan let out a gasp of dismay as his blade almost didn't make it up to block him in time. They again engaged in heated battle, sparks showering them as their blades constantly cut into the consoles of the room. The quarters were much closer together in here then in the control room and it was proving tough on Obi-Wan.
Just as Obi-Wan was gaining the advantage, Anakin would jump onto the conference table, but Obi-Wan wouldn't waste time as he slid onto the table knocking his padawan over, both of their light sabers falling from their hands.
Obi-Wan hurriedly grabbed Anakin's saber, summoning for his own through the force, but Anakin was up, and using the Force, he would jerk the saber from his master's fingers and back into his own.
Obi-Wan growled in frustration as he would stand again, body in a defensive position.
"You grow tired, Master? Why not let me end it right here?" Anakin said in a soft voice laden with killer intent.
"The flaw of power is arrogance." Obi-Wan responded, looking his padawan over...no, his former padawan. He was certainly his padawan no more.
"You hesitate...the flaw of compassion." Anakin mocked before locking sabers with Obi-Wan once more.
-
Shadows in the sun
Filter through us
Still wrestle the demons that arrested me as a child
Confession rejected
We grow up
To give up
People step on the cracks for wounds owed paid back
Through the words of surrender
-
"You never listened to me! It was always about you and the Jedi Code, nothing else! You only trained me because you were obligated to Qui-Gon! Otherwise you would've thrown me right back into slavery!" Anakin yelled between swings.
Obi-Wan felt beyond perplexed at Anakin's words. "I wouldn't have thrown you back into slavery, Anakin!"
"Where else would I have gone? You wouldn't have trained me unless it was Qui-Gon's dying wish, and it's the truth!"
"Qui-Gon might've been the one to find you, but I certainly wouldn't have been the one to throw you out! Even if it hadn't been Qui-Gon's wish, I would've trained you, Anakin. I wouldn't let you go back to slavery! You were only a boy, and you only had one dream, I would never deny that from you! But if only I had known where it would take you." Obi-Wan said almost in despair.
Anakin backed off suddenly, his chest heaving.
Obi-Wan relaxed thankfully before speaking, he had to do everything he could to help Anakin, to bring him away from the Dark Side. "You know, only you, Anakin. You know how much I care for you. And if there were ever a moment that I faltered in your eyes, then I am sorry. I was only looking after you to the best of my ability, but no one is perfect, Anakin! Don't let the Dark Side have you, please, come back to me, to Padmé!"
Anakin's doubt seemed to grow as he did not speak, nor attack, only stood there, eyes darting from one point on the ground to another. There were so many times he'd needed comforting when he was little...Obi-Wan had been around to help him through that when he was younger, but the older he got, the more Obi-Wan seemed to push him away. He chose to voice his thoughts. "Why did you push me away?"
"Push you away?" Obi-Wan questioned before images of the past filled his head, images Anakin was throwing at him through their weakening link. "...I had to, Anakin. I was growing too attached to you...I never should've gave you all of that attention before, but you'd missed your mother so dearly...I can see that pushing you away did me no good...I find myself attached to you anyway..." / And it will be my downfall. / He thought solemnly.
"Liar." Anakin whispered, voice filled with pain, before he would lunge at his old master once more, continuing their fight.
-
Emptiness
Loneliness
Listlessness
Worthless
-
"Liar! All lies! That's all you've ever told me!" Anakin howled, swinging wildly at Obi-Wan.
"No! Anakin, please!" Obi-Wan gasped out, trying to counter each attack, but finding it harder and harder. Anakin's anger was overwhelming and he found himself grappling for the reasons that had led to this wrathful demon before him. This other side of a caring and normally cheery young man that he loved.
-
I feel it on the inside
Twisting and contorting
Memory has shaped me once again
Still feel you on the inside
Biting through and stinging
Will I ever forget to remember?
-
On they went, fighting out onto the balcony of the station. Obi-Wan backing up step for step, blade cross for blade cross. It was only a matter of minutes before he found himself trapped between Anakin and a fiery doom.
Anakin swung at Obi-Wan, who would jump back, tettering on the edge behind him while Anakin's saber missed, instead digging into the railing beside him which would break off, taking a control panel with it.
Alarms would sound as Obi-Wan looked behind him spotting a pipe. Raising his brows incrediously, he didn't stop to think, only backed up onto the pipe leading to the Main Collection Plant.
Anakin, of course, followed him. And once he was steady upon the pipe, their fighting resumed.
Obi-Wan and Anakin worked their way across the small pipe, fighting ferociously as they went. Mid-step, Obi-Wan slipped, but quickly tossed his lightsaber up in the air as he grabbed onto the pipe and swung around, grabbing onto an upper pipe where he would retrieve his light saber, landing back on the original pipe. His blue-green eyes settling on Anakin with haughty amusement.
Anakin narrowed his eyes in annoyance before taking a stab at Obi-Wan which furthered their fighting until they finally reached the Main Collection Plant.
They battled on the top of the multispired collection panels, jumping from one to the other. At the end of the collection cluster, a huge spray of lava covered the attachments that held up the collectors. The frame began to melt, lava raining down upon the two in battle who instantly split apart and sought cover under the collection cluster. Obi-Wan and Anakin would run out into the rain of molten liquid momentarily clashing blades before seeking shelter once again.
As Obi-Wan was about to go out to cross blades with his old padawan, the support for the entire structure began to fall away, the collection cluster falling into the lava river below. Even with this henderence, both Jedi continued to fight, Obi-Wan above Anakin climbing to the highest point on the tower as the rest began to melt away as it rode on the swift current of the molten river.
The fighting was fierce between them as Obi-Wan finally reached the end of the tower, trapped while the tower slowly started to sink under the lava. / I have to get off of this thing. / Obi-Wan thought urgently, trying to keep Anakin at bay. / Oh, Force...how will I fix this...we're going to get ourselves killed. /
Looking out over the lava, Obi-Wan's eyes widened when he noticed how very close the floating tower was to the edge of a great lava fall. Grabbing a hanging cable, he leapt from the collection arm.
Anakin scowled as he grabbed another cable, swinging out after Obi-Wan, their sabers clashing as they passed each other.
"Anakin!" Obi-Wan shouted over the roar of the lava. He caught his old padawan's attention as he flung his arm out, pointing to the falls. Anakin's head would whip in that direction before turning back to glare at Obi-Wan. Their fighting stopped in that moment as snapping and metal groans were heard, the main part of the collector starting to break away and move toward the lava fall. Obi-Wan gazed around worriedly before spotting a small floating platform making its way toward the tower.
-
Can you save me?
From myself
From these memories
-
Taking a deep breath, he gauged the distance before calling upon the Force and double back-flipping across the lava to land squarely on the floating platform. Leaning to one side, Obi-Wan would steer the platform away from the tower, glancing back worriedly to see Anakin still swinging from the cables.
Anakin looked around himself in extreme agitation. This certainly wouldn't be the way he was going to die if he had a say in it. Spotting Obi-Wan some distance away, he felt a strange pang of...gratitude? as he noticed his old master looking his way, concern practically emanating from his being. "Hah, what a fool.." Anakin choked out in a strained voice. He swallowed quickly as if that would clear away the large knot in his throat.
Feeling a particularly strong wave of concern, Anakin would bring himself from his sudden thoughts to the situation at hand...where he noticed the tower he was hanging off of was bending over the curve of the lava falls ready to pludge to its doom.
Realizing he was about to be cooked thoroughly, he got moving, spotting a worker droid some ways from Obi-Wan. Summoning all his strength in the Force, he leapt forward, landing on the droid heavily, the machine beeping and chirping in confusion as it was veered off of its original course.
Gaining his bearings, Anakin steered the droid toward Obi-Wan's platform against its will. Once the two Jedi were mere feet from each other, Anakin would stare at his old master with fire in his eyes that could rival the burning intensity of the molten liquid beneath their feet.
Again Obi-Wan found himself at a loss. This couldn't be happening. They couldn't be staring each other down, ready for the end result of their battle to be only one of them walking away with their life...or neither...
And yet it was all too clear. The heat, the emotions he felt. It was happening alright...and how badly he wished to just wake up on some cave's stony floor, on yet another mission with his trusted padawan. To look over and see that lithe form sleeping so soundly...to realize this had all been one very bad dream...
If he could be allowed to go back now...to go back in time, he would fix all of this... / Please...I just want to go back...things used to be so simple. /
Longing for what will not happen leaves you with nothing but pain and suffering...be mindful Obi-Wan or you will find yourself joining Anakin...
Obi-Wan started in surprise. / Master?. / He called out impulsively before correcting himself. / Qui-Gon?. /
Nothing.
He was not allowed a moment to spare on the strange matter as his footing was suddenly shaken, a figure looming before him. Anakin had jumped from his droid and onto the platform Obi-Wan was on. Stumbling back, Obi-Wan flailed for balance, his feet planting themselves firmly on one edge which caused the platform to dip.
Obi-Wan's eyes widened as time seemed to slow to a crawl. Anakin had lost his balance and inch by grueling inch he was falling backwards into the lava. Blue, yellow, blue, yellow...images of his past with his old padawan flew passed his vision in lightning speed.
/ Anakin! / The sharp whisper resonated in his head. / No! /
He didn't even realize it until his hand had made contact with Anakin's, but he'd lashed his arm out, ready to catch his padawan. He pulled Anakin back up onto the platform with a sharp jerk, and both clung to each other's arms as they sought to steady themselves on the tiny, swaying platform.
It was then that both pairs of eyes met, emotions colliding, nothing making any sense.
There's no time!
"We have to jump to safety!" Obi-Wan yelled out, pointing towards the blackened shore.
Anakin nodded his head, he didn't want to argue, he just wanted to get off of this death trap and onto solid, stable ground. If he'd had the time, he might've felt ashamed at that moment, ashamed for being scared. For relying on Obi-Wan to fix things.
"1...2...3!" Obi-Wan cried out before they would both jump on three. The platform was engulfed in lava at the force of their leaping off. Both sailed over the expanse of lava before landing in a tangled mess on the shore some feet away from the molten river.
-
Can you save me?
From myself
From these memories
-
"Anakin." Obi-Wan breathed, trying to collect himself. He lay on top of Anakin, his head resting on the boy's shoulder before he would lift it, looking his old padawan's face over. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" He asked, his hand instinctively coming up to touch Anakin's cheek.
Anakin stared at Obi-Wan in obvious bewilderment. How had this gotten so out of hand? He was suppose to kill Obi-Wan, right now. He felt for his lightsaber, but it wasn't in his hand. He felt his heart sink as he realized he'd dropped it when he almost fell into the lava.
"Anakin, speak to me." Obi-Wan asked urgently, crawling off of his apprentice, and leaning over him.
Anakin turned his head slowly, letting his eyes meet with Obi-Wan's. "I have to kill you." He whispered.
Obi-Wan's face contorted in pain as he quickly stood up, moving away from his old padawan. "...you don't have to kill anyone, Anakin."
Anakin sat up, gazing at the black dirt that covered his hands. He had no weapon...Looking over, he scowled. But Obi-Wan still had his weapon. "I have to." He replied, louder this time as he picked himself up off of the ground.
Obi-Wan ignited his light saber, and he could've sworn it felt like the blue sword had just stabbed him in the chest. "Please...Anakin...I don't want to do this..."
Yellow to blue-green. They stood facing each other, just staring. All was silent on the outside. An onlooker would only see two men in a vicious stand off, so closely resembling statues.
But on the inside, a war of words raged on.
/ You may think that just because you saved me I'll just hop right back over to the Jedi! You're a fool Obi-Wan, and I will kill you for my Master, Darth Sidious. /
/ Anakin, please, Darth Sidious only wants your power! You're heading for a life of suffering, of pain! A life filled with the fear of others! Do you really want that?. /
/ Liar! I have brought peace to the galaxy- /
/ By killing younglings?. / Obi-Wan yelled across their mind link.
/ Younglings that would become Jedi- /
/ And what harm have the Jedi ever done? You're just lashing out with anger at what you couldn't have, Anakin! The Jedi Code forbid you Padmé, and you wanted revenge for that! Your actions have no reason!. / Obi-Wan cried out before his body moved and he proceeded to walk over to Anakin, standing directly before him. His voice was softer now. / To be a Jedi, you had to leave your mother...a person you loved deeply...you were forced to let go of her...and once maybe...you could allow it, but when the same happened with Padmé, it was the last straw. I know how you must feel, Anakin. I know. Because out of everyone you know...everyone you've ever met, I am the person who has always understood you the most...who knows you inside-out...and the same goes for me to you. /
He was bearing his soul. Bearing everything that was him deep inside. Something he thought he'd never allow himself to do. But this time was that one time, a time for such an allowance. He could not lose Anakin...not someone so close to his heart, and for that, he felt selfish.
Oddly enough...he didn't care.
-
Surrender
To the shadows
Haunting inside
Bleed through you
Surrender to the secrets...inside
Lies within you
-
Anakin's eyes were wide. He did this, every time. Made him doubt himself. Made him feel like he was a fool. Cause you are. A voice deep inside of him whispered. His conscience was battling with his uncontrolled anger.
/ I've always wanted to be a great Jedi, a Jedi Qui-Gon would be proud of. He was a very special person to me...even if he always seemed to defy the council...even when I got so fed up with him...I realize that Qui-Gon was the perfect example of what a Jedi should truly be. He lived in the limits of the Order, but he never let them govern him. I should have shown you how much I cared for you, Anakin. We're all different inside. You need the protection of love, the comfort of security...and I never showed you that. /
Anakin felt lost, he hated feeling lost, it made feelings he'd rather keep dead and buried come to the surface. He could feel the burning in his face...his eyes. / No...please, no. Not here. / He pleaded in his mind, scrunching his eyes shut, trying to will all of these ridiculous old memories away. Obi-Wan was lying...he was lying...
-
I feel it on the inside
Twisting and contorting
Memory has shaped me once again
Still feel you on the inside
Biting through and stinging
Will I ever forget to remember?
-
Anakin took in a sharp breath as strong arms wrapped around him.
/ Can you ever forgive me, Anakin?. /
Forgive...Could he forgive? ...no...because...there was nothing to forgive.
Anakin's head drooped, his chin resting on Obi-Wan's shoulder. He was so tired. Was it just so simple now? To just go back to what he once was?
-
Can't feel you on the inside
Set down the bag and left it
Lost memory has left me
One again
Open up the inside
Admission for the cleansing
Now that I've forgotten to remember
-
A shrill whistle in his ear brought him back to his senses. It felt like someone had just sent lightning crackling through his head. Anakin leapt out of Obi-Wan's embrace, stumbling backwards, his hands holding his head as he fell to his knees.
Obi-Wan's voice called his name out before there was a huge explosion that rocked the ground beneath him. Dust and debris rained down upon him as a loud whoosh sounded over head.
Anakin's head rose instantly, and he was on his feet just as fast, staring into the black soot fogging around him. / Obi-Wan?. / He called cautiously.
/ Lord Vader. /
Anakin felt his chest tighten painfully, blackness gripping at his mind. / Master. /
/ You will jump aboard the ship as we pass over. /
/ Yes, Master. / Anakin said without even having to think, his eyes gazing before him. Obi-Wan...
-
Surrender
To the shadows
Haunting inside
Bleed through you
-
Obi-Wan groaned softly, trying to pick himself up, but his muscles protested and he flopped back to the ground. Some ship had come out of no where and blasted the ground before him sending him sailing backwards and into a nearby boulder.
Anakin...! He thought in alarm, but it seemed as if their connection had been severed.
Loud roaring filled the sky above him, which immediately prompted him to sit up despite the stinging pain. He could faintly see Anakin readying himself to jump onto a platform that was lowered from a ship hovering above.
"Anakin!" He shouted.
His old padawan turned to him, eyes dark. He shook his head softly before leaping onto the platform.
Obi-Wan's mouth dropped open in dismay. His padawan was disappearing. Disappearing into the sky, and there was nothing he could do. Nothing...
"Why?" He whispered brokenly.
-
-
"No!" Obi-Wan hissed, sitting up straight in his bed.
He looked around in surprise. He processed his surroundings. He felt the cold sweat that covered him. He felt the pain just as fresh.
/ It's alright...you were just dreaming. /
Obi-Wan lowered his head, staring at his beige sheets. / I'm sorry...that's the third time this week... /
/ I find it to be expected. /
Raising his head, Obi-Wan would look upon the hazy blue vision that was his old master, Qui-Gon. / I shouldn't let this bother me so much. /
/ It'll go with time. / Qui-Gon responded thoughtfully. / You should sleep some more if you are to be able for your lessons. /
Obi-Wan nodded slowly before laying back down.
It'd been almost half a year now since Anakin had left him on Mustafar. Left him for the Dark Side. Left all he loved for the Dark Side.
Obi-Wan was on Tantooine now, watching over Luke Skywalker while he trained with Qui-Gon who had appeared to him through the Force, just as Yoda said he would.
Leia was with Viceroy Bail Organa, and Padmé lay in her grave on Naboo.
Obi-Wan willed himself not to think anymore. Not to think about how bad things had gotten. It was times like these that he felt more like his old padawan self. Not the adult he should be.
/ Calm, Obi-Wan. / That soft voice of the past whispered in his head.
He closed his eyes, pulling the covers around him. The wind howled outside, sand scrapping against the shuttered windows of his small home in one of the caves of the sandy mountains.
As he was drifting to sleep, he renewed his faith. His faith in his padawan. Anakin was still alive, the Anakin he knew was still there...deep inside the man called Darth Vader.
He had to save Anakin...the Anakin he loved.
The only problem was how he would ever confront him...
-
-
-
TBC...
-
"Forget to Remember" by Mudvayne ( sorry about the song lyrics, I just can't help it. )
-
Well...that was incredibly long...o-o...but I enjoyed writing it, hehe. Hope you enjoyed reading it. :D I find myself really hating my stuff though. It's a horrible issue I have. I'm so uncertain about this chapter. I had a hard time making sure everything linked right with the first chapter. Plus, you have to think about the problems that occur along the way, like "wait, how can that happen if that didn't happen?" Blah blah...yeah...
-
This story took an interesting turn...hmmm, I like it well enough though. The next chapter will most likely be on Anakin's thoughts over what happened on Mustafar, since you didn't get to see them much in this chapter. I focused on Obi-Wan a lot more.
-
Questions you might be asking:
Q.1: How come Anakin just left Padmé?
This shall be explained in the next chapter. xx
Q.2: Why does Anakin still wear his Darth Vader outfit despite not being burned and all that ( something mentioned from the first chapter )?
This will be explained in the next chapter. It's kind of obvious though when you think about it.
-
If you have any questions about this chapter, feel free to ask them in your review.
-
Thank you for reading. You guys are the absolute best!
-
-Aryll